Hip Hop is always the best at making the most of a bad situation and tonight was the perfect example. Producing giants DJ Premier (Gang Starr) and Rza (Wu Tang Clan) brought their A games with beats to a battle for the ages called Verzuz brought to you by Timbaland and Swizz Beats on IG Live
Before they started they reminisced about the early days before Wu Tang, their friendship, and competitive nature during the 90s. After a little retrospect it was time to get busy! It started with Rza having some technical difficulties with I-rig delays and sound quality in his living room but the bugs slowly got worked out “Bong Bong”
Rza set it off with Liquid Swords by the Gza which is an instant classic. Primo followed with A Million Questions by Jay-Z. Rza stated “You went platinum on me”. The two continued to trade joints as the followers kept messaging who was winning. The strong opinions of every head was a content debate on IG and group texts across the world. Names like Fat Joe, Black Thought, Timbaland, Erick Sermon, Masta Ace, Jay Electronica, Benny The Butcher, Lil Jon, T.I., Method Man, Snoop Dogg, and every one else in Hip Hop was signed in. The total number of people logged in seem to max out around 192k at once. Premier would go on later to post that there was 849,056 viewers in total for the night..
As the two went back and fourth it brought back more and more memories about how the songs were crafted. Rza seemed to be more prepared with his playlist as Premier more improvised based on the abbots selections. 10 songs in it was clear that this was gonna be a nail biter as Rza played mainly Wu Tang Classics from 93-2000 and DJ Premier dug a little deeper from 91-99. “We got timeless joints” said DJ Premier. The highlight seemed to be when Rza dropped Long Kiss Goodnight by Notorious B.I.G. and Primo retaliated with Above The Clouds by Gang Starr and both comedically pulled guitars out as props.
Heres how the sets went:
Rza Set
- Liquid Swords-Gza
- Bring The Pain-Method Man
- Maria-Ol’ Dirty Bastard
- Wu Gambinos-Raekwon
- Run-Ghostface
- Shame on a ni%%a–Ol’Dirty Bastard
- Proteck ya neck–Wu Tang Clan
- Cold World–Gza
- M.E.T.H.O.D.-Method Man
- Motherless Child-Ghostface
- Verbal Intercourse-Raekwon & Nas
- Buck 50-Ghostface & Method Man
- Ice Cream-Raekwon
- Brooklyn Zoo-Ol’ Dirty Bastard
- Shimmy Shimmy Sha-Ol’ Dirty Bastard
- Long Kiss Goodnight-Biggie Smalls
- Assasination Day-Ghostface Killah
- Criminology-Raekwon and Ghostface
- Incarcerated Scarface–Raekwon
- All I Need Remix-Method Man
- C.R.E.A.M.-Wu Tang Clan
- Wu Tang Clan Aint Nothin to F’ Wit-Wu Tang Clan
- Dark Fantasy-Kanye West
- Triumph-Wu Tang Clan
- Tanasia-Nas
- Its Yourz-Wu Tang Clan
- Gravel Pit- Wu Tang Clan
- A Better Tomorrow-Wu Tang Clan
- New Day-Kanye West & Jay-z
DJ PREMIER SET
- A Million questions-Jay-Z
- Breaking The Rules-M.O.P.
- Mathematics-Mos Def
- The Enemy- Big L
- MC Act Like They Don’t Know-Krs-One
- Real Hip Hop-Das Efx
- Devils Pie-D’angelo
- Just To Get a Rep-Gang Starr
- Livin’ Proof-Group Home
- D’evils-Jay-z
- Nas is Like-Nas
- The Question Remains-Gang Starr
- Come Clean-Jeru The Damaja
- Kick In The Door-Biggie
- Above the clouds-Gang Starr
- NY State Of Mind-Nas
- DWYCK-Gang Starr
- Boom-Royce 5’9
- 10 Crack Commandments-Biggie Smalls
- Mass Appeal-Gang Starr
- Crooklyn Dodgers 95-Chubb Rock, O.C., Jeru The Damaja
- Classic-Kanye West, Nas, Krs One, Rakim
- Represent-Nas
- Friend or Foe-Jay-Z
- Still Ghetto-Jay-Z
- Aint No Other Man-Christina Aguilera
- I Gave You Power-Nas
As the night winded down Swizz beatz and fans kept telling them keep playing. Why Not? Where we gonna go in a quarantine? Since Rza was in his living room he responded “My wife might shut me down”. After the 20 joints each, they agreed to keep going digging deeper into their catalogues. Rza refreshed everyones memory with his co production on Kanye West “Dark Fantasy” and threw haymakers with Triumph and Its Yourz. Premier held his own jabbing back with Classic, Represent, Still Ghetto and Aint No Other Man. Finally Swizz flicked the light switch and they closed with Wu Tang’s “A Better Tomorrow” and Nas “I Gave You Power”. They then took the time to thank all the mothers of the world and dedicated the last song “New Day” by Kanye West and Jay-Z to all the fathers out there claiming that fatherhood has improved with their generation. In the end, DJ Premier got a text and said “The winner of the night was Hip Hop”.
