While fans argued online about who would be best suited to potentially battle the legendary Quincy Jones, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland were busy cooking up their most epic battle to date, Teddy Riley vs. Babyface.
“This is one of the iconic moments me & Timbaland have been working on … Sunday will go down in the history books,” Swizz wrote Instagram.
Instagram Hip Hop Battles Are Just The Beginning … If Swizz Beatz & Timbaland Have Their Way
What makes this particular battle, so special is the insane depths of both of their catalogs.
Teddy Riley began his career lending production to the monumental Hip Hop songs “The Show” by Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew (a song that helped introduce Slick Rick to the world) and Kool Moe Dee’s “Go See The Doctor.” Then in 1987, he formed the group Guy — which helped pioneer New Jack Swing.
The heights he reached from there are incredible, to say the least — from co-producing half of Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album to forming his second group Blackstreet, whose single “No Diggity” is virtually immortal.
Babyface, aside from his incredibly successful solo career (which to date consists of 10 albums), is a prolific songwriter and producer whose credits range from Whitney Houston and TLC to peak Bobby Brown, Mariah Carey and Boys II Men.
Widely considered to be one of the godfathers of modern US R&B, his now-defunct LaFace imprint (co-founded with L.A. Reid) brought the world acts like OutKast, Toni Braxton and Usher.
For older heads, it will be an incredible slice of nostalgia — and for younger heads, it will be an enriching educational experience.
Tune in to Teddy Riley vs. Babyface at 6 PM PST Teddy Riley’s Instagram.