There was a lot of speculation in the music industry circles about which way Timbaland and Swizz Beatz will take their VERZUZ brand after the expiry of their Apple partnership.
Today, the two music icons have announced a deal with Triller Network where the company will acquire the popular livestream music platform. According to Billboard, the Grammy Award-winning, multi platinum producers and entrepreneurs will also join the Triller VERZUZ management team to help oversee music and other company strategies.
The details about the financial transaction have not been announced yet but Timbo and Swizz Beatz have become large shareholders in Triller Network. They’ve also have allocated part of their equity stake to the 43 performers who’ve appeared on Verzuz to date.
Performers who are coming aboard as shareholders and partners include the following: John Legend, DMX, Alicia Keys, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Too $hort, Patti LaBelle, Gucci Mane, Jeezy, E-40, Bounty Killer, D’Angelo, Ludacris, RZA, The Dream, Babyface, Nelly, Jagged Edge, Fred Hammond, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Brandy, Monica, Gladys Knight, Boi-1da, Hit-Boy, Ne-Yo, Johnta Austin, Scott Storch, T-Pain, Lil Jon, DJ Premier, Mannie Fresh, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, 112, Kirk Franklin, Sean Garrett and D’Angelo.
“There is no more disruptive and innovative brand in music today than Verzuz,” said Bobby Sarnevesht, executive chairman and co-owner of Triller, in announcing the acquisition. “Both Triller and Verzuz share the ‘artist first, music first’ vision. We view this acquisition as more of a partnership than an acquisition, as Swizz, Timbaland and the other 43 artists who are all becoming shareholders and partners in Triller Verzuz from this day forward become our voice.”
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland added, “This is a momentous occasion not only for Verzuz and Triller but the music business as a whole. By putting Verzuz in the Triller Network ecosystem and expanding the Verzuz brand to be side by side with the powerful Triller app, we will be able to continue to grow and evolve the music business as a whole, as we have been doing. To have partners in Triller who share our vision, specifically to celebrate and elevate the amazing artists who continue to shape culture around the world and give the consumer more direct access, is game changing.”
The pair continued, “We couldn’t be happier to be elevating Verzuz and Triller and to recognize, in a very real way, all of the artists who have helped make Verzuz the global phenomenon it is today. Our dream, the artists’ dream, today is realized, which is no small feat. Triller Verzuz is a company that’s by the artists, for the artists and with the people.”
The latest VERZUZ was the most different one from the previous streams where D’Angelo performed live from The Apollo Theater in company of some friends.