Triller Network acquires Verzuz; Swizz Beatz, Timbaland to join management

Both Timbaland and Beatz are now large shareholders in Triller Network

Announced in a statement today, Triller Network has officially acquired Verzuz, with Swizz Beatz and Timbaland joining as management.

Verzuz, the popular live stream music event, has become a music industry staple since the pandemic began. Beginning as a way to share and celebrate musical legacies with fans, what started as Instagram Live events has become a huge live streaming platform that Triller Network has now acquired.

Read More: D’Angelo was originally set to do Verzuz battle with Maxwell

The new arrangement is an exciting step for Verzuz, who has been partnering with Apple Music until now. Through the partnership with Apple Music, the Verzuz battles would stream on Instagram and the streaming platform. Now, the partnership with Apple Music is reportedly ending with this new venture.

Verzuz was created by music legends in their own right, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, who are now shareholders in Triller.

A joint statement from the duo reads, “This is a momentous occasion not only for Verzuz and Triller but the music business as a whole. By putting Verzuz in the Triller Network ecosystem and expanding the Verzuz brand to be side by side with the powerful Triller app, we will be able to continue to grow and evolve the music business as a whole, as we have been doing.

To have partners in Triller who share our vision, specifically to celebrate and elevate the amazing artists who continue to shape the culture around the world and give the consumer more direct access, is game-changing.”

The statement continues to speak to the pair’s gratitude for the next step in Verzuz history, reading, “We couldn’t be happier to be elevating Verzuz and Triller and to recognize, in a very real way, all of the artists who have helped make Verzuz the global phenomenon it is today. Our dream, the artists’ dream, today is realized, which is no small feat. Triller Verzuz is a company that’s by the artists, for the artists, and with the people.”

Read More: D’Angelo joins Verzuz, but his opponent is yet to be announced

Bobby Sarnevesht and Ryan Kavanaugh, Triller Network’s controlling shareholders, also released a statement regarding the acquisition.

They said in the statement, “Verzuz isn’t just a company, a platform or an event, it is a cultural movement and phenomenon. In our generation, Verzuz has made a bigger impact on music than any other company we know. With this acquisition, Triller continues its evolution to be at the center of culture and the center of music. Who better to help shape Triller’s music future than the top artists in the world overseen by Timbaland and Swizz?”

From Gladys Knight vs. Patti LaBelle to Brandy vs. Monica, Verzuz has hosted many iconic “battles” between music legends and broke multiple records in the process.

For example, Brandy and Monica’s battle gained 6 million views when it aired and raised $250,000 for When We All Vote. Jeezy and Gucci Mane’s battle also made major headlines and was the #1 trending topic on Twitter the night it aired.

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