So So Def’s Jermaine Dupri recently made it clear he wants to step in the Verzuz arena against Sean “Diddy” Combs (fka Puff Daddy). Before music fans could even begin to debate that possible matchup, Diddy threw cold water on the proposition.
“Somebody let @Diddy know I’m @thegarden right now! And he gon need some training for me,” tweeted Jermaine Dupri in the wake of the Fat Joe vs Ja Rule Verzuz battle on Tuesday night.
Diddy quickly fired back, “Beloved, you my n#### but your arms too short to box with God!!! You ain’t got enough hits. I’ll smash you with just [The Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige]. But I do have the [utmost] respect on you as a musical legend – [Dr. Dre is] the only one can get in the ring [with] me.”
TMZ caught up with one recording artist that has worked extensively with Jermaine Dupri and Diddy to get his thoughts on the potential faceoff. Usher Raymond disagreed with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder’s statement.
“Being a part of the hits that he has, I can’t say that,” offered Usher about Diddy’s view of Dupri’s catalog. “JD has plenty of hits and I think that Diddy does, too. It’s hard for me, because they’re both my brothers.”
When asked if Jermaine Dupri vs Sean “Diddy” Combs would be the greatest Verzuz hits-for-hits clash of all time, Usher responded, “That could definitely be a great one.”
The creator of the Diamond-certified Confessions album added, “Verzuz has obviously made it great for our culture, but I don’t think one is greater than the other. If it were JD and Puff, or it was Dre and Puff, or it was Tip and 50 – that’s the one I really want to see… I want to see Tip and 50.”
Clifford “T.I.” Harris called out Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson for a Verzuz battle in July. 50 Cent laughed off the challenge before Tip asked Verzuz co-founder Swizz Beatz what is taking so long for organizers to book that particular musical duel.
So far, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have managed to put together epic Verzuz events featuring lineups such as Teddy Riley vs Babyface, Erykah Badu vs Jill Scott, Bounty Killer vs Beenie Man, DMX vs Snoop Dogg, Brandy vs Monica, Jeezy vs Gucci Mane, Ashanti vs Keyshia Cole, Bow Wow vs Soulja Boy, The Lox vs Dipset, and others.