WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE
THE TOP 5 THINGS VERZUZ TAUGHT US Jaleesa Robinson
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020: the year of virtual school, zoom meetings, TikTok dances, and the end (or at least pause) of life as we knew it! But one great thing that came out of 2020 was our beloved Verzuz battles. What’s Verzuz? I’m so glad you asked. Super producers Swizz Beats and Timbaland decided to rock out on IG live one night, playing songs back and forth from their amazing catalogs, and what we thought was just fun and games birthed one of the greatest musical exhibitions of our generation, VERZUZ! Some of our favorite artists have gone head to head. Brandy and Monica 112 and Jagged Edge Snoop Dogg and DMX (Rest in Peace) and we can’t forget our Aunties and Uncles, Gladys Knight Verzuz Patti LaBelle and Earth, Wind, and Fire Verzuz The Isley Brothers. Verzuz has been a reminder of how dope our culture is, and with great impact comes great lessons. So it’s only right I share a few lessons that Verzuz has taught me.
W.O.E
1. It doesn’t have to be either/or There is enough love to go around and no matter what anyone tells you, you can root for everyone. We have to get out of the mindset that if you like Erykah Badu, you automatically don’t like Jill Scott. That doesn’t have to be true! You can love and respect the differences in people and their gifts and support them all. The either/or mindset robs us of beautiful moments because we are too busy trying to keep unhealthy competition alive.
2. Music conveys a message when our words fail us. I vividly remember how heavy my heart was after the murder of George Floyd. I also remember the Verzuz that came in the midst of it, Gospel Legends Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin. Music has always been a healing balm for our community, a language used by our ancestors, and a way to connect with our Creator. I bet there’s a song that can take you to a special place; both happy and sad. I’m also willing to bet that even when you hear that song today, you remember the memory connected to it. For me, it’s Destiny’s Child’s “Jumpin’, Jumpin’’ as I tried out for the middle
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