
Source: Sakura/WENN.com / WENN
Ashanti and Keyshia Cole finally faced off for their highly anticipated Verzuz battle, but not without a few hiccups.
On Thursday (Jan 21), the heavily fan-requested battle kicked off after being postponed twice, with the two chart-topping heavy hitters appearing in the original Verzuz format due to Covid-19 concerns. At the start of the show, there were a few delays which resulted in the battle beginning more than an hour behind schedule.
After the fact, The Box Houston’s new morning show, Good Morning H-Town caught up with GoDJ Hi-C, who is Keisha Cole’s DJ, who explained what happened.
Back to last night, Ashanti did her best to kick off the show while fans awaited the arrival of Keyshia Cole.
Of course in true Black Twitter fashion, jokes began to fly as time continue to tick on while fans began to wonder if the battle would once again be placed on hold after waiting almost two hours for the battle to begin before Keyshia Cole arrived and kicked off the event.
Ion know why buh all i can hear is “Miss Keyshia, Miss Keyshia… out shit she dead” or however it go https://t.co/yLF0O6bgIr
— Sorrow 💔 (@Kdn_5) January 22, 2021
…. a month and 22 minutes later#Verzuz pic.twitter.com/40qBFxTta4
— Jessica Fyre 💫 (@TheJessieWoo) January 22, 2021
Jumping off with more than 1.1 Million viewers who were ready to see the songstresses vocally duke it out, Cole finally arrived and appeared eager to get started.
While in traditional Verzuz fashion there was no winner declared, Ashanti brought out the big guns playing all of her Murder Inc. era hits, including “Down 4 U” with Ja Rule, before bringing back all the old school vibes with her debut hit “Happy” and the follow up “Baby,” harmonizing on the track just like it was the early ’00s. “See I can never feel at home with you/I gave up everything I owned for you,” she sang, looking incredible in a sexy blazer dress with a long pearl necklace over it. Of course, she couldn’t miss the classics “What’s Luv” with Fat Joe and her version of “Into You” with Fabolous.
Keyshia Cole also came out swinging opening the battle with her debut hit “I Changed My Mind” before showing off her vocal range with the 2008 classic, “Playa Cardz Right” featuring 2Pac. Before playing the record, Cole shouted out the late rapper who was a close friend of her brothers noting that she was almost a part of the Death Row roster as a teenager.
“I was almost signed to Death Row Records — that was so long ago,” she reflected on her teen years when she was first starting out. “The fact I was still able to make it after knowing [2Pac and the Death Row group] — my brother was really close with ‘Pac and everything…he died when I was 16. I made it so many years after he told me I would, and we were able to do a song with him…It’s a blessing to say I made it so far after so much time invested.”
The “Heaven Sent” singer also performed her unforgettable collaboration with Diddy, “Last Night,” before surprising fans with a special appearance from O.T. Genasis for a special dueted performance of “Love,” a song he remade in 2019.
Despite the minor setbacks and the unforgettable moments, it was Black Twitter who ultimately won the night by supplying endless jokes on every aspect of the battle from the delayed start to the Ashanti and Cole’s reactions while the other was performing–Twitter didn’t miss a beat and we loved to see it.
Ashanti when it’s Keyshia turn #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/Z4Phv08Yfn
— jenae. (@shaniajenae) January 22, 2021
Ashanti #Verzuz Keyshia Tonight pic.twitter.com/tIwJlG3qnP
— 🅱️iggaveli🌊 (@1bscottbrando) January 22, 2021
Check out a few of the most hilarious tweets below.
1.
Keyshia cole : * takes an hour *
— You must have me mistaken for ya mother hoe (@rebeccashelbyyy) January 22, 2021
Also Keyshia: Wow I can’t believe this is over so fast
Black Twitter: #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/cJB6tn2nZO
2.
Keyshia: I wanna play my new single
— Nicholas (@nicology13) January 22, 2021
Everybody: A new what? #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/5FLlltey07
3.
Ashanti said in case some of y’all came late #VERZUZ pic.twitter.com/v3I0Xr99sD
— kimchristi (@kimmchristi) January 22, 2021
4.
Keyshia: “Ciroc aint cut me no check”
— Deanna⁷ ♡ (@bxby_taetae) January 22, 2021
Ashanti: “They gave me one”
SIS IS PETTY 😂 #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/h2IxL8RMtM
5.
Keyshia will play her whole song then when Ashanti song start she like “OK let’s hurry up before IG cut us off” #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/CiFnAyd5Ex
— IG @ Drebaexo (@Drebae_) January 22, 2021
6.
Ashanti said “nothing but the motherfvcking hits” with her whole chest🤣 I know that’s right #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/TT60WcrY0t
— Terremoto🏔 (@Jensyn242) January 22, 2021
7.
Ashanti when Keyshia when it’s When it’s Keyshia’s turn Ashanti’s turn#Verzuz pic.twitter.com/sAD1sHTzo2
— A.✨ (@JadoreeChanel) January 22, 2021
8.
Y’all really underestimated my good sis Ashanti for this battle but she came with the HITS!!! #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/5HgouTH3bO
— Royale Lily (@royalelily) January 22, 2021
9.
The point of #Verzuz is to remember the classics. Everytime they play they new music it be a NO for me pic.twitter.com/EpgGRU0dcS
— IG @ Drebaexo (@Drebae_) January 22, 2021
10.
Sooo they both trying to play the last song #Verzuz pic.twitter.com/1iTCH6JGm7
— Amari ✨😌 (@qxeengotti1) January 22, 2021
11.
#Verzuz
— Black Girl Anime Otaku (@BlackAnimeGirl7) January 22, 2021
Its the way yall said Keyshia was gon wash Ashanti just for Ashanti to absolutely devastate and CLEAR Keyshia in the 2nd half 💀💀💀. Yall doubted my girl horribly but she showed yall tho 😊 pic.twitter.com/8AWDGnb9Ek
12.
Keisha face when Ashanti played her new single last 😂😂😂😂😳😳 #Verzuz #verzuzbattle pic.twitter.com/zPjwDWM5ww
— beautybybrittanykeianna (@beautybyBK) January 22, 2021