Monica and Brandy
Prince Williams/Wireimage; Derek BlanksIf there’s one thing that has gotten hip-hop and R&B fans through the pandemic, it’s been Verzuz.
What started as a friendly face-off on Instagram Live between Swizz Beatz and Timbaland has steadily grown into a cultural phenomenon over the last two years, as Verzuz has brought together rivals and contemporaries of all kinds to put their discographies on the line and battle it out for bragging rights — from T-Pain vs. Lil Jon and Ryan Tedder vs. Benny Blanco to Nelly vs. Ludacris and Ashanti vs. Keyshia Cole.
So with Season 3 kicking off Tuesday (Feb. 15) with a battle between Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild, Billboard wants to know: Which Verzuz battle do you consider to be the all-time greatest?
Are you a fan of the early, Instagram-exclusive battles like The Dream vs. Sean Garrett or Teddy Riley vs. Babyface? Or do you prefer a Season 2 bout like Fat Joe vs. Ja Rule or Redman vs. Method Man?
Maybe you agree with Billboard‘s May 2020 ranking and place the clash between Erykah Badu and Jill Scott at the top of the list. Or you made sure to tune in with the 1.4 million other fans to see Brandy take on Monica and put the central question of “The Boy Is Mine” to rest once and for all.
Voice your opinion in Billboard‘s latest Verzuz poll below, and be sure to tune in to the battle between Hamilton and Soulchild on Tuesday night, which will indeed be available to stream for free on Instagram Live after Swizz Beatz walked back plans to host the show exclusively on Triller.
Zara Larsson has indicated that she may have cancelled her December 3 appearance at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The singer initially confirmed that she would not attend, before removing the comment and sharing a more detailed explanation of why the performance no longer feels right for her.
The Swedish star was scheduled to take the stage at Etihad Live on Yas Island during the Yasalam After-Race Concerts. Zara and Lewis Capaldi were due to launch the weekend’s entertainment. However, supporters encouraged her to reconsider the booking because of concerns surrounding the United Arab Emirates’ reported connections to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary organisation accused of committing atrocities during the nation’s civil conflict.
A fan commented: “Please read about what UAE is doing to Sudan then cancel your Abu Dhabi show!” Zara responded: “I will not be going to Abu Dhabi.” Fans later realised that both comments had been removed.
She then shared that she had been considering what it means for her, as an artist, to perform in particular countries.
The Midnight Sun singer explained: “I think about that a lot in my life as an artist… I wanna perform and spread joy and music for people in every country, because no single person is their government.
“I’ve met so many wonderful people from every corner of the world and I know this to be true in my heart. I love people, and I love my fans soooo much.”
Zara acknowledged that her original comment “maybe came off as an impulsive response,” but explained that she had given the booking serious thought. She now believes withdrawing is the decision that “aligns with me the most right now, for many different personal reasons beyond politics.”
She continued: “Maybe I’ll delete both comments and do a better statement soon. I hope to sing with you in the beautiful future!”
