Thanks to super producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, Instagram battles—in which your favorite artists, songwriters and producers put their catalog to the test against an equally accomplished rival—have provided the perfect escape from all the chaos of COVID-19.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen gospel giants Hezekiah Walker and John P. Kee leap into the fray to lock horns for the culture, while millions tuned in to watch Teddy Riley and Babyface celebrate their invaluable contributions to the R&B landscape.
And as we impatiently wait to see if this Diddy vs. Dr. Dre thing will actually happen, another battle has been announced that promises to entertain the masses with banger after banger after banger: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony vs. Memphis’ own Three 6 Mafia.
“This Thursday 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern time,” Krayzie Bone posted on Instagram. “Instagram Live Celebrating over 50 combined years of hits. Limited edition collab merch available. Share share share, don’t miss this celebration!”
Both groups have been quiet in recent years, but their status as rap pioneers goes unquestioned. Three 6 Mafia was integral in popularizing horrorcore—something some guy named Eminem would later take to the bank—while Bone Thugs-N-Harmony bridged gritty street tales with something completely unheard of at the time of their debut: harmony. And yes, there used to be tension between the two groups, but they’ve long since set aside their differences and have had nothing but admiration and respect for each other for years.
The battle won’t be a part of Timbaland and Swizz’s wildly-popular Verzuz series, but don’t think fans of each group aren’t excited for what’s in store on Thursday night.
Now, what’s good with that Kanye vs. Pharrell though?