A Verzuz featuring 50 Cent and Lil Wayne has all the makings of a disappointing fantasy football team. The competition is a farce that nobody asked for, yet there is an increasing demand because of online hype. But a battle between 50 and Weezy would be supremely one-sided because Verzuz is no longer just about the songs but which artist performs them better.
The origin of this unnecessary Verzuz comes from Hot 97 morning radio host Ebro Darden who tweeted, “What Jadakiss did to Dipset, is what 50 will do to Wayne.” Ebro’s double-down response is to his claim that “50 would WASH Wayne” in a Verzuz. Now yes, Lox VS Dipset still lives rent-free on everyone’s timelines with clips of Jadakiss’ freestyle destroying CamRon and crew. The Lox’s victory over Dipset proved that superior showmanship will always outshine stale swagger. However, the attitude that Lil Wayne would be no competition for 50 Cent is less about skills and more about online and onscreen presence.
Verzuz celebrates an artist’s musical legacy rather than their current popularity. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson stopped being just a rapper a decade ago and has successfully become one of Hip Hop’s most prominent business moguls. He executive produced and starred in the crime drama Power. The success of that show gave birth to a universe of spinoffs, and 50 has since created the successful BMF series. He has an Instagram account with millions of followers who collectively respond to his content, which can be entertaining, controversial, or both.
Meanwhile, Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter is known solely for his music and sometimes living as a recluse superstar. Unlike 50 Cent who appears to be outside—even in the winter, if Lil Wayne doesn’t have an album out or a show to perform, he’s likely inside—even in the summer.
Megastar producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland created Verzuz during the Covid-19 pandemic as a friendly online competition where each artist plays their records from a boombox on Instagram Live. As Covid restrictions lifted, Verzuz evolved into a live concert, and although 50 Cent is many things, he is not a solid performer. He will lose to Lil Wayne not because of a lack of catalog but because the essence of Verzuz is about performance. Yes, 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin (GRODT) is an album of a generation with classics such as “In Da Club”, “P.I.M.P”, and “Many Men”, that will get a big crowd reaction. Yes, 50 has an arsenal of songs post-GRODT, such as “Amusement Park”, “Outta Control”, and “I Get Money.” He also has multiple mixtapes, such as Guess Who’s Back and 50 Cent Is the Future, and for his day-one fans he could even do the Power TV show opening theme “Big Rich Town.” And yet, his signature onstage two-step bop will be overshadowed by Lil Wayne’s rockstar artistry.
To see Lil Wayne live is to witness Hip Hop’s underappreciated, must-have skill set: performance. Wayne doesn’t have a Get Rich or Die Tryin, but his musical catalog dates back to the late 1990s. He can start the Verzuz by rapping his last verse from “Back That Azz Up”—reminding an audience how they were outside during the 99 and the 2000s and making them lose their minds. This would transform Weezy into a giant with his locks shaking loosely before their very eyes. His onstage passion would shine with songs such as “The Block Is Hot”, “Go DJ”, “Tha Mobb”, “A Milli”, and “Money on My Mind.”
Wayne is unpredictable enough to do an acapella version of “Let the Beat Build” and creative enough to make a rock version of “Lollipop.” And Weezy is just as likely to do a backflip performing songs from his mixtapes, The Dedication andNo Ceilings, as if they were Grammy nominated. Lil Wayne’s performance energy is in the elite class of a legendary KRS-One, making Wayne’s victory over 50 Cent a fatality.
Lil Wayne and 50 Cent both have praise-worthy catalogs that are arguably balanced on paper. The question “Who you think would win between {insert} in a Verzuz battle?” has become as ubiquitous as “Who’s your Top 5?” in Hip Hop debates. But a live Verzuz—in front of an audience—between Lil Wayne and 50 Cent would be lopsided in Wanye’s favor, making the show a spectacle instead of a celebration.
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