Diddy wants hip-hop to cast a blind eye to Verzuz until Triller pays Swizz Beatz and Timbaland what they say they’re owed.
TMZ broke the story Tuesday that the Verzuz co-creators and veteran music producers sued Triller for $28 million, saying the company has missed many of its scheduled payments. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland sold the brand to Triller in 2021 and say the company defaulted after only two payments.
In their lawsuit, the two say they initially settled with Triller but that the company went back to defaulting after just one more payment.
In a statement to TMZ, a Triller rep said the company had paid the duo more than $50 million in cash and stock, and that the dispute was about another payment related to a deliverable the company says Verzuz has not yet met.
“Only one payment of $10 million is in question,” the representative told TMZ. “We do not believe they have met the thresholds for that payment yet, which include, but are not limited to, delivery of a set number of Verzuz events for 2022. We have been trying to resolve this amicably and this does not affect Verzuz operations or Triller’s ownership of Verzuz. If this does proceed in court, we look forward to a judgment that weighs all the facts.”
Verzuz’s Instagram has been dark since Aug. 3. Diddy seems to be putting Triller on notice, suggesting that he will make a version of the idea without the company’s involvement.
Thursday night, the music mogul went on Instagram live with fellow mogul Jermaine Dupri, challenging him to a hit-for-hit faceoff between their two labels’ catalogs. Soon after, Diddy clarified that they would have to do it on their own because of Timbaland and Swizz Beatz‘s allegations.
“Since we ain’t f— with Verzuz no more, since they’re f— around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy said. “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.”
The next day, Diddy amended his statement, placing the blame on Triller. “We’re not f— with Triller until they take care of Swizz and Tim for Verzuz,” he said on another Instagram Live.
Styles P, who took part in the Verzuz battle between the Lox and Dipset, has also said he’s boycotting Triller if the allegations are true.
“It would be good if Triller and Swizz and Tim can rock out and figure out a way to fix it,” Styles told TMZ. “Hip-hop people shouldn’t f— with it if Swizz and Tim aren’t involved. I sure wouldn’t, I won’t watch it at all.”
