The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an estimated 622,000 lives in the United States since its rampage began in March 2020. With over 37 million cases stateside, the virus brought the concert industry to its knees.
To provide respite from the devastating statistics, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland co-founded Verzuz initially on Instagram Live as a way to combat the no-show blues. Although the concert industry is slowly awakening from its slumber, the raging Delta variant is still causing fear among attendees. Thus, Verzuz is still one of the safest ways to enjoy live music.
On Monday (August 16), Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul shared a screenshot of a Zoom conversation between himself, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone, Swizz Beatz and VP Of Entertainment at Trill Grady Spivey, breathing new life into the possibility of the Three 6 Mafia and Bone Thugs Verzuz.
Speaking to HipHopDX on Tuesday (August 17), Krayzie Bone was overtly optimistic the highly anticipated event would take place.
“It’s not confirmed yet, but we had conversations yesterday about it,” Krayzie tells DX. “It’s indeed a very strong possibility. We’ll probably try to make it happen realistically after the TLC tour [September/October].”
A Bone Thugs and Three 6 Mafia Instagram Live battle was already supposed to have taken place — but not under the Verzuz umbrella. In a November 2020 interview, DJ Paul said Swizz Beatz contacted Krayzie Bone less than an hour before it was scheduled to begin and convinced the “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” legend to postpone their event.
“It was finna happen,” he said. “Literally 35 minutes before we went live, Swizz’s people called Krayzie Bone and they was like, ‘We gon’ do it on Verzuz, so don’t do it.’ And I was like, ‘Look dude, we still need to do it, man.’ I was like, ‘I don’t know — when is the Verzuz gon’ happen? Like, we still need to do it.’”
DJ Paul Hints Three 6 Mafia & Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's Verzuz Battle Is Back On
During a conversation on Blurred Culture’s Live With Steve Lobel in 2015, DJ Paul touched on Bone Thugs’ alleged beef with the Memphis group and explained why there wasn’t much to it.
“It wasn’t a real beef,” DJ Paul said at the time. “It was more of a misunderstanding because we was rapping about triple six, devil shit, and tongue twisting over slow beats. We had been doing that since 1989 and then all of a sudden when Bone came out—I think it was 1993. We didn’t know the Faces Of Death album because it was their underground stuff. Just like they probably didn’t know our underground stuff.
“When they came out with ‘Thuggish Ruggish Bone’ and all of that stuff and we hear somebody kind of on our same style: Faces Of Death, redrum, murder, 6-6-6, tongue twisting. We were like, ‘Damn these dudes done stole our style!’ [Laughs] That’s why we got mad about it. We ran into each other a couple of times and there was a push or something. But there was never no fight or nothing like that.”
Check out the TLC Tour Dates below.
09/03 — Albertville, AL @ Sand Mountain Amphitheater
09/14 — Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
09/15 — Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
09/17 — Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavillion
09/18 — Brooklyn, NY @ Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk
09/20 — Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
09/21 — Franklin, TN @ First Bank Amphitheater
09/23 — Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
09/24 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
09/25 — St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre
09/27 — Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheatre
09/30 — Belton, TX @ Bell County Expo Cente
10/02 — Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre
10/03 — Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/06 — Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre
10/07 — San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
10/09 — Inglewood, CA @ PV Hollywood Park
10/10 — Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion
Id rather get a joint album from all of them. Why cant verzuz just go away all ready ? Get the OG rappers back in the studio where they belong. Tired of hearing old ass songs when they can still make new tracks.
I agree somewhat. I’m personally not a fan of versus but if it helps add to what legends are doing I’m for it. I do find it somewhat chessy but The lox vs Dipset created another wave of buzz for it. I think Krayzie and Paul are working on a album together, probably will release it the same day as that Versus, that would be good marketing.
Can’t wait until Krayzie’s album produced by DJ Paul drops, hopefully we get features from other Bone and Three six members.
Both groups stay busy touring I wouldn’t be surprised if this never happens. That tour list above for Bone Thugs N Harmony shows like 20 shows in a months span, most likely when that tour is done another one will pop up something like 12 shows in 3 week span. Bone, Three six Mafia, No Limit have a show together soon.
Kray and Paul 2 of the best to do it!!!
Good to see Bone and 3-6 mafia linking up and doing business. I know they got albums and tours coming up with each other
Hopefully krayzie drop another solo this year
He did recently leave of legends that album is fire
Yea that’s why I said another one. Leaves of Legend was dope, I loved it. Best production Kray has had since Thug on Da Line IMO. I just want another fresh, up to date sounding album like that. Not anything like CTD, I thought CTD was ok but somewhat dry, dark and depressing. Also thought the Quik fix 2 wasn’t good, it sounded outdated except for slippin, major greater and space high. I want that New Waves, leaves of legend type of updated sound. I think Kray stuff can sound outdated sometime because he waits so long to put out stuff he records. He can make something now and want put it out until like 4 years from now and sometimes not at all. You here him play something super dope on Live and he won’t ever put it on a album and just put it out. That R&B album needs to drop sounded really good when he plays snippets. but it’s been like 2 years now.
How dope would it be if Krayzie Bone performed songs off that album he got produced by Paul at this Vs.
Bone thugs n Harmony legendary!!!!
This would be a nice verzuz , but I would rather have some collab on music from them.
Can someone explain what a “verses” is? If all they are doing is playing old songs against someone else’s stuff, then whats the point?? Fkin battle each other for christ sake!!!! What is this passive beta rubbish. Get on a stage with a mic and Battle to see who is the better MC . Playing old songs is pointless and it’s frankly embarrassing. Just think how much would be solved. The argument between ” who is the best rapper” would be dusted. Put kendrick up against Drake in a freestyle and Drakes career is OVER!!! why are we not doing this ? Guess they are keeping it safe as we live in society now where we can’t insult each other as everyone gets too salty and offended. I. Waiting for someone to take there own shadow to court to sue for stalking.