Rescheduled from Saturday night after connectivity and sound issues kept most fans from tuning in, R&B legends Babyface and Teddy Riley returned to Instagram Live on Monday to finally have it out.
Despite a few technical challenges along the way, the two producers laid down the tracks that defined a decade — the ’90s to be exact — as they battled across two hours, trending atop Twitter and breaking a huge record along the way … not to mention Instagram Live itself.
Producer Swizz Beatz (one of the masterminds behind the event, says they had 3 million people trying to tune in, a new Instagram Live record, though Pop Crave says it was closer to 512,000. Either way, it appears the record that they broke was their own, set during their aborted Saturday night attempt to lay it down and see who is the king of ’90s R&B. iHeartRadio reports more than 400,000 viewers were tuning in then.
We broke insta tonight !!!!!!!!!! #verzuz @verzuzonline over 3mill https://t.co/O0fDx1M5Ke
— SWIZZ BEATZ (@THEREALSWIZZZ) April 21, 2020
Perhaps ironically, it appears the record that they broke was their own, set during their aborted Saturday night attempt to lay it down and see who is the king of ’90s R&B. iHeartRadio reports more than 400,000 viewers were tuning in then.
During the latest session, Babyface blew the minds of the livestream’s viewers when he also revealed a little known fact about the King of Pop. Apparently, he was interested in getting to know Halle Berry a little better back then (wasn’t everyone?) and thought maybe the record producer could give him the hook up.
“Michael called me and said, ‘Babyface, do you know who Halle Berry is?'” Babyface said during their livestream, as covered by Hollywood Life. “I said, ‘Yeah, I know Halle Berry’. He said, ‘Could you do me a favor? I want you to call her because I want to take her out on a date.'”
Babyface and Teddy Riley are live on Instagram rn, and Babyface talked about that one time Michael wanted to take Halle Berry on a date π pic.twitter.com/uomIeqGtuw
— Julie π (@juliejksn) April 21, 2020
“I said, ‘What?’ and he said, ‘Call her, I want to take her out on a date,'” he continued. “So I said, ‘Let me reach out’ and I reached out for him, for the agent because I didn’t have Halle Berry’s number. I called and gave the message and the manager’s like, ‘What?” and I said, ‘Yeah, he wants to take her out on a date.'”
The message got relayed, but Babyface said he couldn’t say what Halle said in response. Instead, he played a quote of her from the movie ‘Boomerang’ where she said, “You know, what do you know about love? What do you possibly think you know about love?”
While the guys were mostly spinning the tracks they produced, Babyface had another surprise in store for fans, offering up a live rendition of his own hit “When Can I See You.”
This battle — which many fans believe Babyface took with that acoustic performance and a little remix shade(?) — was the latest in the “Verzuz” series by producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. While there have been battle before this one, like T-Pain “verzuz” Lil John,this one took the whole series to a new level. Will it stay there?
Fans were loving the friendly rivalry between the two producers Monday night, keeping the action trending deep into the night.
THESE TWO BLACK KINGS BROKE IG! π Despite the technical difficulties, the postponements, sound issues and “doing too much” *ahem Teddy*, this was a moment in legendary music history with these two legendary producers! Teddy Riley & Babyface both won! An epic battle! #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/SKS7K5ytVS
— DOC. #FNLradio #TDR (@mrdoc) April 21, 2020
Instagram couldn’t handle all of that melanin at one time. Being in harmony, singing with one another. The energy was beyond us. #TeddyRileyvBabyface #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/2BSAP8HOWm
— Shauntelle (@ShauntelleBoyer) April 21, 2020
Babyface: Was that a remix?
Teddy: yes
Babyface: oh ok, I didn’t know we were doing remixes. But it’s cool I don’t do remixes.
Everbody :#VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/8oIy2AfzJs— Akilah (@kilahphil) April 21, 2020
“That ain’t a problem, I don’t remix anyway.” #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/FVcRbye1sU
— Briana Diamondβ¨ (@Brielieve) April 21, 2020
Teddy when he saw Babyface playing the guitar. #VERZUZ #BabyfacevsTeddyRiley pic.twitter.com/CPAs6sGPhQ
— B E A N Z Credit Your Photographer Please! (@PhotosByBeanz) April 21, 2020
I’m calling this match early! Uncle Kenneth done gave us an acoustic unplugged π©πππΏ Uncle Teddy talkin’ bout he cheatin lol #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/0kwiK6sSCQ
— Milo Mami. Bournvita Baby. (@Aizehinomo) April 21, 2020
Teddy: My AOL dial up is acting up.. and for some reason my android phone is fuzzy.. brb
Also Teddy when he got back on:#VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/iW88Tt7HIB
— Kai π· (@kaishotz) April 21, 2020
Teddy Riley played Let’s Chill by Guy and Babyface came back with My, My, My by Johnny Gill. I’M SHOOK! #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/8QnTJSLSmv
— RJ (@Ryan_Johnson) April 21, 2020
Me when Babyface played Whitney and Mariah’s When You Believe #VERZUZ #TeddyRileyVsBabyface pic.twitter.com/6rMKMdG7r6
— Shelby (@thatgirlshelbyv) April 21, 2020
Teddy got Remember the Time going. I’m about the bust out the dance routine like it’s 1991. #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/FtE3JsjK0m
— Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) April 21, 2020
The Babyface vs Teddy Riley #VERZUZ battle was like watching 2 of your uncles trying to use IG for the first time, but was everything I needed. pic.twitter.com/NG33Z8l8zN
— Rob Jones (@bluesteel1914) April 21, 2020
Baby Face when he dropped I’ll Make Love To You #TeddyRileyvsBabyFace #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/AdRfAwyYNZ
— Jackson 5 Nostrils (@iam_Jaxon) April 21, 2020
Babyface is my demographic of petty. A little sassy, a little classy, always respectful, always gets the point across. #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/9rYc1Z40t3
— Khalea Underwood (@letsbeKHAlear) April 21, 2020
This hasn’t been a Babyface vs Teddy Riley event. It’s been a Teddy Riley roast with Babyface hosting. #verzuz
— No Relation, Esq. (@TheCosby) April 21, 2020
Can we talk about the shade king Baby Face y’all…..After every song Teddy played Baby Face hit him with the….
π€£π€£π€£π€£
#VERZUZ#BabyfacevsTeddyRiley pic.twitter.com/WMP9P7mhUG— ~Alexandria~ (@DOPECHICKBEATS) April 21, 2020
*BabyFace vs Teddy Riley #VERZUZ Lmao pic.twitter.com/8XcX4ZGUeE
— Dee Holt βοΈβ (@D_1andOnly_) April 21, 2020
Teddy, please. We are begging you! THROW IN THE TILE!!!!! Babyface hasn’t even played the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack yet.. THROW IN THE TILE!!!!! #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/qc7s9Zl3f9
— Rae Exotic π―π (@Do_RaeeeMi) April 21, 2020
Babyface ending the night with Whitney Houston and Cece Winans. Grateful he beat the ‘Rona. Give that man ALL his flowers. ππΎππΎππΎππΎ #VERZUZ
— Alvin aqua Blanco (@Aqua174) April 21, 2020
Teddy: That’s where we going?
Baby Face: That’s where we went
ππππ#TeddyRileyvBabyface#VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/bMGpw7pNqC
— ~Alexandria~ (@DOPECHICKBEATS) April 21, 2020
So everyone in agreement? Babyface won. #TeddyRileyVsBabyface #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/ALPATQ0T1Z
— Jasmine Katrina (@jkatrinasmith) April 21, 2020
Winner by knockout, Kenneth #Babyface Edmonds. #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/LFsYmlemQ3
— JRtheGent (@_JRTheGent_) April 21, 2020
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