Swizz Beatz & Timbaland Face Backlash After Announcing ‘Verzuz’ Deal w/ Elon Musk’s X: ‘The Black Rich Are So Out Of Touch!’

Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Elon Musk

Swizz Beatz & Timbaland Face Backlash After Announcing ‘Verzuz’ Deal w/ Elon Musk’s X: ‘The Black Rich Are So Out Of Touch!’

Looks like social media users aren’t impressed by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s latest announcement.

The music producers’ Verzuz series trended online today as people reacted to their new deal with Elon Musk and his social platform X (formerly Twitter).

Timbaland, Elon Musk, Swizz Beatz

The distribution deal was first shared on the official Verzuz social media page earlier today (Wednesday, June 19th). In a post featuring an image of Verzuz co-founders Timbaland and Swizz Beatz linking with X CEO Elon Musk, the announcement read:

“IT’S OFFICIAL, #VERZUZ IS BACK AND 100% BLACK OWNED AGAIN LET’S GIVE THE PEOPLE WHATS BEEN MISSING !!! WE WILL ALSO BE BUILDING NEW ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES ON THE @X PLATFORM !! WHO SHOULD BE THE 1ST KICK OFF SHOW? LETS GO!! #VERZUZ ON X”

Reacting to the post, many social media users expressed their disappointment in the deal. Some criticized Swizz Beatz and Timbaland for going into business with Elon Musk, despite ongoing speculation that the billionaire engages in racially discriminative business practices and rhetoric. A few even stated that the whole Verzuz series should’ve ended when to Covid-19 pandemic did, arguing that people are no longer interested in the project.

If you recall, Verzuz first began at the height of the pandemic back in 2020 as a way to entertain people in their homes during the nationwide shutdown. The show pits iconic musicians against one another, such as Brandy vs Monica and Mario vs Omarion, and invites its online audience to engage in a friendly hit-for-hit showdown.

After the pandemic was over, Verzuz continued drawing in millions of viewers but was temporarily halted last year amid drama surrounding the platform’s acquisition by the social platform Triller. With their new deal with X, however, Timbaland and Swizz will reportedly release free content and keep full ownership and creative control while X will receive exclusive distribution rights. It’s estimated that performances will be broadcast to over 550 million active users, expanding its viewership and international reach.

Thoughts? Leave them for us in the comments below!

[VIA]