Clash of the Titans: Hip-Hop Heavyweights Battle on Instagram Live

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland kicked off the red-hot series. 
Clash of the Titans: Hip-Hop Heavyweights Battle on Instagram Live

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland kicked off the red-hot series. 

Words: Scott T. Sterling

photo courtesy of World Red Eye 

April 01, 2020

Timbaland/Swizz Beatz

Instagram Live has become a premier destination for hip-hop and R&B fans hungry to watch their favorites go head-to-head in heated beat battles. A new series of IG battles kicked off March 24 when producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland squared off, each taking turns playing hit records they’ve created over the years. Timbaland fired off tracks from Omarion, Bryson Tiller and Justin Timberlake, as Swizz Beatz returned fire with Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Angie Stone hits.

Eventually TIDAL got involved, releasing a playlist of the records thrown down in the battle. The following battle found Hit-Boy taking on Boi1da, each taking the opportunity to show off unreleased exclusives: Boi1da teased a Drake/Roddy Ricch tune, while Hit-Boy dropped a Nipsey Hussle track featuring Big Sean. Check out that TIDAL playlist here.

The battle between songwriters Sean Garrett and The-Dream pulled nearly forty thousand fans on March 28. It was a truly powerful bout, with Garrett pulling out Usher’s “Yeah,” While The-Dream countered with Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” Stream the playlist here.

This past Monday, there was another songwriter battle, with Ne-Yo taking on Johnta Austin. Here’s the playlist. Tonight, it’s Scott Storch facing off against Mannie Fresh. Fresh stepped in after Storch’s original adversary, T-Pain, backed out.

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