Verzuz could be coming back thanks to Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Elon Musk.
Reports say that the mega producers signed a deal with Musk to have X (formerly Twitter) to be the new distribution platform. “We are beyond thrilled to have found the best partner for Verzuz. Not only are we excited to have Verzuz on X, we’re excited to help X build the biggest entertainment company in the world,” Swizz Beatz said in a statement.
He continued, “I would like to thank Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Brett Weitz, Mitchell Smith, and the entire X team for believing in the Verzuz vision. We can’t wait to get to work.” Timbaland added, “We are thrilled to partner with X, the most innovative platform globally. Our goal has always been to bring Verzuz to the world, which we can now do bigger than ever.”
Verzuz started in 2020 during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when Beatz and Timbaland went on social media to play their hits for fans. It would later become big and other major artists such as Alicia Keys & John Legend, Keyshia Cole & Ashanti, Beenie Man & Bounty Killer, and many more participated.
The following year, Verzuz was sold to Triller, however, the music producers regained their ownership after facing some challenges. With this new distribution deal, their goal is to keep the social media platform alive. People have shared mixed reactions, as they are worried about Musk’s involvement with the platform due to his problematic past.
Roland Martin voiced his concerns on his platform and said, “Here you have a Black entertainment platform, if you will, came about during COVID, was all about the culture, features Black people, Black artists, celebrating Black culture, not just in the United States, but around the world.”
He continued, “And it’s going to now be distributed on a platform owned by a man from South Africa, who, after he bought it, re-platformed white supremacists. This is the same Elon Musk who consistently promotes, retweets, and responds to racist content.”
However, X reps said they, “are proud to partner with trailblazing creators, artists, and entrepreneurs Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. Our platform stands at the forefront of innovation, and Verzuz defines the essence of an innovative content experience. As we continue to work with the most exciting voices to bring premium content to X, there is no better fit than this series. Together we will redefine how consumers engage with their favorite entertainment, one Verzuz at a time.”