Neo-Soul is back on the map and we can’t help but bask in the feels of the two great neo-soul musicians Erykah Badu and Jill Scott as they made an appearance on the first Verzuz live stream battle not just between two women but two iconic singers of our time.
The friendly ‘battle’ which we all enjoyed was more of a virtual sit-down between two friends where they played their back to back hits as well as songs they had both written.
Their live stream blurred time as neither Scott, Badu nor their over 700,000 viewers noticed that Instagram did not truncate the session. “I don’t have no conception of time. I don’t know what that means,” Badu told Scott at one point.
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Social media was on fire as the viewers shared their thoughts on the session.
“Y’all gonna let things breathe tonight,” said activist April Reign on Twitter. “This isn’t a battle. This is mutual appreciation. Let our Queens take their time. #Verzuz”
Y’all gonna let things breathe tonight. This isn’t a battle. This is mutual appreciation. Let our Queens take their time. #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/5t1kMhsjBT
— April is in DC (@ReignOfApril) May 9, 2020
Footage of my entire mood #ErykahBaduvsJillScott someone needed to call #Tyrone pic.twitter.com/9KfJ08A6ra
— Derrick Downey Jr (@DerrickDowneyJR) May 10, 2020
Verzuz is a venture by music producers Timberland and Swizz Beatz which has run on Instagram for about two months to help people cope with life in quarantine. It has featured battles between Teddy Riley and Babyface, and rappers T-Pain and Lil Jon. This first ‘battle’ between women received all the buzz this past weekend.
Sorry to be corny but black people coming together over music during this quarantine has been so special
— Bolu Babalola is technically on leave ?&? (@BeeBabs) May 10, 2020
Many enjoyed the welcoming vibe that these neo-soul icons embodied throughout the session and instantly it became more of a union than a battle.
“That wasn’t Jill VS Erykah, that was Jill & Erykah,” wrote one Twitter user of the uplifting stream. “They tore down the “battle” model and held space for love, affirmation, and sisterhood,” wrote another user. “We could all learn from tonight.”
Some celebrity viewers could not hold back their comments. “The joy of blackness was deeply felt today and I needed that light, that love, that community the way only we do it,” wrote Ava DuVernay on Twitter. “Blessings and beauty to the Queens Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. The harmony, hope and humanity you shared tonight was simply exquisite.”
You know the Obamas had to make an appearance as well. Michelle Obama tagged her hubby Barack to join in on the Live and requested Badu’s “Green Eyes.”
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