Alicia Keys Talks Facing off Against Rihanna or Beyonce in ‘VERZUZ’
Alicia Keys is fresh off of the release of her latest album, Alicia, and her press run so far has been quite epic. Nevermind the fact that she got honest about the infamous “Empire State Of Mind” performance at the 2009 VMAs when Lil Mama crashed Alicia Keys and Jay-Z’s performance. Her appearance on Drink Champs also included a smoke session, which caught many by surprise.
One clip that’s been making rounds from the interview was on the topic of Verzuz. Alicia Keys has said that she’d be up for a VERZUZ battle with Rihanna or Beyoncé, if the opportunity arose. Keys has already competed in one VERZUZ battle against John Legend in 2020. It was described as a celebration for Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the US. On his Twitter account, Legend dubbed it a “battle of the pianos”.
While making an appearance on Drink Champs, Keys was asked about VERZUZ, and commented: “I do personally think I do need another Verzuz. I think we gotta do it.”
Keys heckled N.O.R.E for asking if she’d do Verzuz, knowing that he didn’t do the research on her battle against Legend. “He ain’t Google it!” Alicia said, hitting her fist on the table. “Ohh yeah, but y’all was so friendly,” replied N.O.R.E.
“I do personally think I do need another Verzuz. I think we gotta do it,” Keys continued before N.O.R.E asked about the ideal opponent. Alicia Keys asked the room who fielded suggestions like Elton John, Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, and Sade. That’s when the names Rihanna and Beyoncé started to pop out.
“That’s a good one,” she said when both Beyoncé and Rihanna’s names were thrown into the mix. “Me, Bey or Rih,” she added to a room full of applause.
VERZUZ, the popular entertainment series, pits producers, songwriters and artists against each other in a rap battle style format that is broadcast via Instagram Live, Triller and Fire TV.
Kicking off in March last year after Timbaland and Swizz Beatz issued challenges to one another, artists that have taken part so far have included: T-Pain, Brandy, Monica, Rick Ross, DMX, Snoop Dogg, D’Angelo and many more. A recent battle, which saw Three 6 Mafia and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony face off against each other, came to blows after Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs got upset claiming that he was being mocked by Three 6.
In other news, Keys recently revealed that she’s been in the studio with J.Cole and the pair have finished “two or three” songs that might be released in the future. In an interview with Complex, Keys said: “There was a festive studio energy. We were talking, we were conversating, building and then we just kinda happened to fall on some vibes or some things or some flows. Actually there was like two or three of them. So that was good, and we’ll see what happens.”
