Following Triller’s acquisition of the wildly popular Verzuz series, Power actor Michael Rainey Jr. decided to deem Swizz Beatz and Timbaland “sellouts.”
The move was announced this week, and will see the Verzuz creators join the Triller Verzuz management team and serve as brand visionaries. Both of them have since responded to Rainey Jr., who wrote on his Instagram Stories, “Can’t ever jus have something of our own it’s always bout the money … Cool move but these n***as still sellouts.”
“But we own Triller,” said Swizz alongside a shrug and a laughing-crying emoji in an Instagram comment.
“We own everything tell who done that,” added Timbaland.
The deal means Swizz and Timbo have been made large shareholders in the Triller Network, although some appear to be confused as to what the deal actually means. Verzuz wasn’t sold to Triller so much as it was incorporated into the existing Triller Network.
HotNewHipHop pointed out that Rainey Jr. responded to their comments. “They made 40+ people large share holders of Triller so that’s wavy,” he added. “But I wish they would’ve just kept full ownership.”
Those who have competed in the Verzuz series have been allocated a portion of Swizz and Timbaland’s equity, including the likes of John Legend, Gucci Mane, Patti LaBelle, and D’Angelo among others.
“This is a momentous occasion not only for Verzuz and Triller but the music business as a whole,” Swizz Beatz and Timbaland said in a joint statement on Tuesday when the move was announced. “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 culture around the world and give the consumer more direct access, is game changing.”
