Diddy and Jermaine Dupri‘s long-awaited Verzuz battle has been confirmed with a date and venue.
In a video posted to Busta Rhymes‘ social media on Sunday (May 7), Puff Daddy revealed he’ll finally be going up against Dupri in a Verzuz on September 8 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
“We’re gon’ have you out the rafters flying out the sky,” Diddy told Busta as Fabolous stood alongside them.
Despite Diddy’s comments, Verzuz co-founders Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have yet to formally announce the event.
Diddy and Jermaine Dupri previously agreed to put their catalogs to the test last August.
Puff went on Instagram Live and invited Dupri into the session; feeling confident about his chances in a head-to-head, Diddy said: “JD, if you want that smoke, you can get that smoke anytime.”
Jermaine Dupri told Diddy to “relax” before agreeing to set up an event in his hometown of Atlanta. Instead of a traditional battle, though, they agreed to showcase the history of Bad Boy Records and So So Def Recordings by playing their respective labels’ hits with no drama.
“Since we ain’t fucking with Verzuz no more since ’cause they fucking around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy said at the time. “Let’s come together and do that Bad Boy, So So Def in Atlanta. It ain’t no Verzuz, it’s just hit for hit.”
Dupri replied: “Let’s do it.”
As of now, it’s unclear what format Diddy and Jermaine Dupri will be going with for the upcoming Verzuz battle.
Diddy’s prior comments about “fucking around with our boys” referenced the $28 million lawsuit Swizz Beatz and Timbaland filed against Triller after the video-sharing service reportedly failed to pay them the full amount for Verzuz after agreeing to buy it in January 2021.
Jermaine Dupri first challenged Diddy to a Verzuz battle in September 2021. But Diddy claimed Dr. Dre was his only worthy oppponent, while telling Dupri: “Your arms too short to box with God.”
Following the exchange, the pair got into a shouting match on Instagram Live, with Diddy playing some of his biggest records including Biggie‘s “One More Chance” in order to show his dominance.
JD responded by bragging about being a Hall of Fame Songwriter, but admitted a Verzuz battle was unlikely to happen due to Puff being unable to bring out enough guests.
“I feel like it’s a performance-based thing now and the majority of Puff’s records, who’s gonna perform?” he said. “Yeah, [you can bring out] The LOX, but you can’t have nobody do Big’s verses!
“And I don’t know that Ma$e would come out with him no more, so I don’t think that it would happen based on that. All my people, we rockin’ and we coming’ with a whole lot of energy!”
