Assignment #1: Music

        The year 2020 was one for the books. This past year was plagued by killer hornets, Covid-19, racial injustice, job loss, and social distancing. Despite all of the obstacles, we have all managed to find ways to have fun and enjoy new ways of doing things. The Verzuz battles became rather popular during this quarantine because concerts and such have ceased. These "battles" take place between two popular artists based on their catalog, rankings, and popularity along with other factors. There have been almost two dozen battles that have taken place and more are said to take place this year as well.

        Verzuz TV is a web series that is hosted by two popular and acclaimed producers by the names Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. The first original battle was back in March of 2020, actually between the now hosts, as they battled as DJs showcasing songs from their catalogs. After seeing the numbers after just one episode they knew that they had to keep it going. The hashtag #verzuzbattle was trending on various social media platforms. Fans and viewers then started suggested duos that they would like to see the battle. In November the platform reached a new record high of 1.8 million viewers for the battle between Gucci Mane and Jeezy. This battle certainly fueled the founders to continue the battles and provide much-appreciated entertainment to the masses.

Many of them are fans of both opponents and miss the traditional concert scene so they look forward to the battles. The musicians and entertainers featured in the battles range have careers that span from the early 1970s through the present day. I will say that I thought it smart that they incorporated legends such as Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle into the battles to also draw in a new audience of viewers. Being that quarantine has called for an increased level of technology people of all ages have begun to utilize technology more, even those who are a bit older. Not only that the battles for the most part have featured entertainers of secular music, except for the battle between Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond. This battle brought in yet another audience as well as other gospel artists in the comments interacting with one another and the viewers. In the tweet below we see a woman talking about how she introduced her mother to Instagram and how to work it for her to watch one of the Verzuz battles she was anticipating.

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