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Usher Verzuz Justin Timberlake
Why the two Pop Stars should battle in a Verzuz event.
If you’ve never seen a Verzuz battle, you’ve been missing out. Created by legendary music producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, Verzuz is an online event that was first held on Instagram Live birthed during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s where two music figures would face off against each other. The first battle was Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. Since then, we’ve had other Producers like RZA and Dj Premier, Rappers like Ludacris and Nelly, Snoop and DMX, Soul royalty Earth Wind and Fire and The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, and Patti LaBelle, Gospel greats Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin, and even Reggae icons Bounty Killer and Beenie Man.
Whether it’s Hip Hop, R&B, Reggae, or Gospel, the battle lasts 20 rounds. Each artist plays a song, the chorus, and the first verse every round, going back and forth, playing hits and songs from their discographies while telling backstories.
Verzuz has been an enormous success, and it has only made fans dream pitch which artists should participate next. Artists like Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Usher. Which artist should they battle?
Honestly, a Verzuz battle between Usher and Justin Timberlake needs to happen. Here’s why it should.
Humble Beginnings
Usher and Justin both started off young in the business. Usher’s mom put him in local singing competitions. After he performed on Star Search, Usher signed to LaFace Records and put out his first album at age 15 in 1994. It wasn’t until Usher’s second album ‘My Way’ was released that Usher started to see success with “You Make Me Wanna” and “Nice & Slow.”
Justin Timberlake also appeared on Star Search and the all-new Mickey Mouse Club, along with other future stars, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, and JC Chavez. Being on the Mickey Mouse Club helped Justin get noticed, and by 1996 Justin was in the boy band N Sync. He was one of the two lead vocalists and the youngest member. By 1997 N Sync released their debut album. They both, Justin and Usher, became successful very young. N Sync was the biggest thing in Pop. And Usher kept rising in R&B. By the 2000s, Justin went solo, and both JT and Usher became colossal Popstars in music.
