Mary J. Blige’s music will forever stand the test of time. Her lyrical musings have cured our deepest heartaches, introduced us to collective self-love and soothed us in our own awakenings of womanhood. The Queen of Hip Hop Soul’s stellar catalog has catered to us for decades of summer cookouts, weddings and girls’ nights, but the 50-year-old songstress says her cherished songs won’t be on the lineup of a Verzuz battle any time soon.
“I don’t know what a Verzuz would do for me. I’m me,” Blige said in an interview with The Breakfast Club. The hit-for-hit battle between R&B and hip-hop behemoths over Instagram live brought in-home concerts to millions of housebound music lovers, welcoming nostalgia during the pandemic’s bleakest point. The spirited rivalries started off as humble productions with the artists streaming from their homes, but a year later, Verzuz has expanded into a sprawling webcast empire with grand setups, professional sound systems and brand sponsorships. The webcast series has seen Ludacris’ extraordinary pen face off with Nelly’s “Country Grammar” and Erykah Badu challenge the lovelorn ballads of Jill Scott. Rumors surfaced that up next on the docket was a much-awaited duel between Toni Braxton and Blige on July 4. Continuing to dispel the rumors, Blige reiterated, “Right now, it’s not something that’s on the top of my list.”
As of late, the brainchild of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland has been under fire for platforming industry giants who have been accused of crimes complicit in misogynoir. While branding itself as a feel-good celebration for the Black community, the battles have featured Xscape’s Tameka “Tiny” Harris, who is under investigation for numerous sexual assault allegations and Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons, who has been accused of sexual misconduct. Its upcoming live stream is headlined by Bow Wow and Soulja Boy who have been arrested for battery and face a civil suit for abuse and sexual coercion, respectively.
