38 Celebs That Need To Go Toe-To-Toe In A Verzuz Battle

    Who would win in these Verzuz battles?

    Angelica Cheyenne
    by Angelica Cheyenne

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    When the Verzuz battle concept was introduced and started off by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, music fans were hooked.

    VERZUZ / Motown Records / Via giphy.com

    Since 2020, the Verzuz battle has been a highly anticipated, virtual broadcast that induces nostalgia each time it airs on Instagram Live. So far there have been a few supreme Verzuz battles that have captivated audiences, like Jill Scott's Verzuz with Erykah Badu and Soulja Boy's Verzuz with Bow Wow, prompting music lovers to petition for artists of their choice to go toe-to-toe in a Verzuz battle. Among the several artists that I foresee doing a Verzuz battle at some point, here are the 19 Verzuz battles that need to happen ASAP.

    1. Mary J. Bilge vs. Faith Evans

    Mary J. Blige onstage
    Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Roc Nation

    A Verzuz battle between the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige and the R&B Queen of Bad Boy Records needs to occur pronto. 

    Faith Evans

    Faith Evans smiling at an event
    Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

    2. Christina Aguilera vs. Britney Spears

    Britney Spears performing onstage
    Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

    Pop queens Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera dominated the music scene in the early and mid-2000s. Having these two Mickey Mouse Club stars turned music superstars go up against each other in a Verzuz battle would be monumental. 

    Christina Aguilera

    Aguilera posing at an event
    Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

    3. Beyoncé vs. Rihanna

    Beyoncé with a mic in her hand
    Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

    A Verzuz battle between Bey and Rihanna is long overdue. Rihanna had the chance to become the artist and mogul she is today because of Beyoncé, literally. After Rihanna auditioned for then-Def Jam CEO, L.A. Reid, circa 2005, Beyoncé told Reid that "that Rihanna girl" was a "beast,” per Reid's memoir. Despite Queen Bey supposedly complimenting Rihanna to Reid, there has still been an alleged rivalry. Rihanna and Bey doing a Verzuz would have the same effect as when Monica and Brandy did theirs.

    Rihanna

    Rihanna walking
    Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

    4. Missy Elliott vs. Busta Rhymes

    Missy Elliott smiling with a skyscraper in the background
    Gregory Bojorquez / Getty Images

    Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott are each other's male and female counterpart. Each artist has unconventional music styles, and they would both crush it in a Verzuz battle.

    Busta Rhymes

    Busta Rhymes standing and smiling at a venue
    Cassidy Sparrow / Getty Images for unKommon events

    5. Ja Rule vs. 50 Cent

    Ja Rule being interviewed
    Johnny Louis / Getty Images

    Ja Rule and 50 Cent have had an ongoing rivalry since the late 1990s, competing against each other on the early 2000s Billboard charts and battling one another off the charts. A Verzuz between Ja Rule and 50 Cent would be historical because they are both major fixtures in hip-hop and have a comical hip-hop feud that would make for a great battle. 

    50 Cent

    50 Cent in a tux at an event
    Prince Williams / FilmMagic

    6. Lil' Kim vs. Nicki Minaj

    Lil' Kim sitting down
    Craig Barritt / Getty Images for Bottega Veneta

    The two self-proclaimed hip-hop queens need to go to-to-toe in a Verzuz battle for a variety of reasons, like their disputes over the years. This would be the showdown of the year if it happened to occur. 

    Nicki Minaj

    Nicki Minaj sitting down at an event
    Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images

    7. Fantasia vs. Jennifer Hudson

    Jennifer Hudson smiling and wearing an evening gown
    Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for WarnerMedia

    Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson are two vocal powerhouses that have a plethora of R&B hits. Hopefully in the near future, Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson will grace the Verzuz stage and challenge each other musically. 

    Fantasia

    Fantasia smiling at an event
    Brian Zak / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

    8. TLC vs. SWV

    TLC posing together
    Ron Davis / Getty Images

    TLC and SWV were two of the biggest girl groups of the 1990s. Although SWV has already battled R&B girl group Xscape, they should've went up against TLC.

    SWV

    SWV standing against a wood backdrop
    Raymond Boyd / Getty Images

    9. SZA vs. Jhené Aiko

    SZA performing
    Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for dcp

    SZA and Jhené Aiko are the leaders of the alternative R&B movement, and are beloved for their sexy spiritualistic approach to music-making. Seeing SZA and Aiko in a Verzuz battle would be a healing situation.

    Jhené Aiko

    Aiko performing with her eyes closed
    Arturo Holmes / Getty Images The Recording Academy

    10. Mariah Carey vs. Jennifer Lopez

    Mariah Carey smiling
    Phil Dent / Redferns

    Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez in a Verzuz battle would be hysterical, especially since Mariah Carey "doesn't know her."

    Jennifer Lopez

    Jennifer Lopez smiling and looking off in the distance
    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

    11. Madonna vs. Lady Gaga

    Madonna performing
    Mondadori Portfolio / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

    Lady Gaga going against Madonna in a Verzuz battle would be kind of like Madonna doing a Verzuz with her early/mid-'90s self. 

    Lady Gaga

    Lady Gaga at a formal event
    Axelle / FilmMagic

    12. Kendrick Lamar vs. J. Cole

    Kendrick Lamar at an event
    Jmenternational / Getty Images

    A Verzuz battle between these profound rappers would be amazing, don't you think? I do.

    J. Cole

    J Cole onstage performing
    Timothy Norris / WireImage

    13. Nas vs. Jay-Z

    Nas looking off to the side and wearing sunglasses
    Scott Dudelson / Getty Images

    A Verzuz battle between Nas and Jay-Z would be historical, chiefly because of their past clashes with one another in hip-hop and in their personal lives.

    Jay-Z

    Jay-Z in a tuxedo, smiling
    Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    14. Queen Latifah vs. MC Lyte

    Queen Latifah at an event
    Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images

    Queen Latifah and MC Lyte, two pioneers of women's rap, should do a Verzuz battle for #TheCulture.

    MC Lyte

    MC Lyte smiling at an event
    Theo Wargo / Getty Images

    15. Usher vs. Justin Timberlake

    Usher smiling and giving the peace sign with people around him outside
    Rb / GC Images

    Usher and Justin Timberlake dominated the Billboard charts in the late '90s and early 2000s, and Timberlake was practically the white version of Usher in the 2000s. It would be awesome for these two mega artists to do a Verzuz, specifically because of how many hits each R&B star has.

    Justin Timberlake

    Timberlake performing
    John Atashian / John Atashian / Getty Images

    16. Ludacris vs. T.I.

    Ludacris wearing a stylish suit
    Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

    A Ludacris and T.I. Verzuz battle would be just like the Soulja Boy and Bow Wow Verzuz. Evocative and memorable.

    T.I.

    T.I. smiling and crouching down with a mic in his hand
    Paras Griffin / Getty Images

    17. Kanye West vs. Drake

    Kanye West at a game looking straight at the camera
    Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

    Kanye West and Drake need to battle each other in a Verzuz for a plethora of reasons, a major one being that it's a wholesome way for them to settle their beef.

    Drake

    Drake smiling with people behind him
    Amy Sussman / Getty Images

    18. Megan Thee Stallion vs. Doja Cat

    Megan Thee Stallion putting her finger on her tongue
    Axelle / FilmMagic

    These two women rappers are the biggest rappers in Gen Z, and it's time they do a Verzuz battle.

    Doja Cat

    Doja Cat smiling
    Axelle / FilmMagic

    19. Taylor Swift vs. Demi Lovato

    Taylor Swift performing
    Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

    Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato haven't been on the best of terms in years — however, they have been producing hits for years. Their Verzuz battle would be one for the books.

    Demi Lovato

    Lovato smiling
    Amy Sussman / Getty Images for KLUTCH Sports Group