Diddy and Jermaine Dupri are reportedly set to face off in a VERZUZ battle this year in New York City.
VERZUZ is the popular entertainment series that pits producers, songwriters and artists against each other in a rap battle style format. In 2021, the rights for the series were sold to Triller, who livestream the events on their app.
Though the date hasn’t been confirmed by VERZUZ, a video circulating on social media appears to show Diddy revealing that he’ll go up against Dupri on September 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
According to HipHop-N-More, the video was originally posted by Busta Rhymes on Sunday. Diddy is stood next to Busta and Fabolous when he shares the news, adding: “We’re gon’ have you out the rafters flying out the sky”.
Diddy and Dupri first discussed the idea of having a VERZUZ battle publicly on an Instagram Live session back in October 2022. Diddy told Dupri: “If you want that smoke, you can get that smoke anytime.”
“Since we ain’t fucking with Verzuz no more since ’cause they fucking around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy added. “Let’s come together and do that Bad Boy, So So Def in Atlanta. It ain’t no Verzuz, it’s just hit for hit.”
Last year, Diddy offered his support for VERZUZ co-founders Timbaland and Swizz Beatz in the wake of their lawsuit against social media app Triller.
In the lawsuit, seen by Billboard, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz claimed that Triller owed them $28m (£23m) and that it had defaulted on previously agreed payments.
“We’re not fuckin’ with Triller until they take care of Swizz and Tim for Verzuz,” Diddy said later. “Nobody fucks with Triller until they take care of Tim and Swizz for Verzuz, ’cause Tim and Swizz is Verzuz.”
The lawsuit was later settled, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz writing in a statement (via Pitchfork): “Verzuz has always been a platform that is by the artists, for the artists and with the people.
“We’re glad to come to an amicable agreement with Triller and continue giving fans the music and community that they’ve come to know and love from the brand.”
Previously speaking about VERZUZ to NME, Timbaland said: “Well, it’s not really a battle – it’s a celebration of our heroes in music, the ones who make us feel a certain type of way. Given what’s currently going on in the world, it’s a way to give back.
“It’s also an education, it’s educating people on the music, its creators and where this feeling comes from.”