The Top 5 Things Verzuz Taught Us

THE TOP 5 THINGS VERZUZ TAUGHT US WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE

Jaleesa Robinson

2020: 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. 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

school cheerleading squad, Donnell Jones’, “Where I Wanna Be” after my first real break up, and John Legend’s, “So High” as the first dance shared between my husband and me after we became husband and wife. What are some songs that you deem as a part of the soundtrack of your life? 3. What’s for you is for you. While we all enjoy the music of Verzuz, it’s the banter and back and forth that makes the best memes. One of my favorite moments was given to us by Keith Sweat and Bobby Brown. Keith poked fun at Bobby talking about how he would have liked to be a part of the Ghostbusters soundtrack too. A similar conversation was shared between Brandy and Monica when Monica shared how, unlike Brandy, she didn’t get the call to work on the Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack. The important lesson here is, what’s for you is for you! There may be people who have similar styles and may even sell the same product as you. But remember you bring a certain flair, expertise, and experience that can’t be duplicated. There are opportunities with your name on them, don’t be intimidated by others in your field. It’s already yours! 4. “I didn’t know they wrote that!” One component about Verzuz is, artists are allowed to include the songs they wrote and/or produced. So for anyone who may be wondering why Kandi and Tiny of Xscape featured TLC’s “No Scrubs”, it’s because they wrote the hit.

This Verzuz lesson shows us that securing the WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE bag comes in different forms. Camera shy? Like playing in the background? There’s a place for you! Your pen (writings, ideas, concepts) can and will produce a paycheck. 5. The Show Must Go On Some may remember the Verzuz with Brown Sugar singer, D’Angelo and if you do, you may also remember that he didn’t have a Verzuz partner. Well, this wasn’t always the case. According to an IG conversation with Timbaland and Swizz, the Verzuz was supposed to be D’Angelo and Maxwell! The Verzuz creators never told us why Maxwell couldn’t make the battle, but what they did share was that D’Angelo still wanted to participate, even if he had to do it alone. Would I have loved to see the Pretty Wings singer go head to head with D’Angelo? Absolutely! But I also value what D’Angelo taught us here. Even if they don’t show up, even if the plans change, and no matter the behindthe-scenes circumstances…The show must go on! Simply put: Stop waiting for people to show up, you are the main attraction! No matter your profession or personal path, I hope you can apply these lessons to your life. Verzuz has also taught me that there are faithful fans that have rocked with you from the beginning. All you have to do is show up. Show up sis, the world is waiting! --