Bun B Confirms UGK, 8Ball and MJG Will Have A 'Verzuz' Battle
Bun B broke the news that the two Southern titans will face off at some point.
The Verzuz battle series has brought dozens of legendary artists together. According to Bun B, the trend will continue at a date to be announced. On a recent episode of The Donnie Houston Podcast, the founding member of UGK announced that he will square off against the legendary Memphis duo 8Ball and MJG.
"I know I'm doing a Verzuz but it's not Texas-based," he said. "I'm doing Verzuz, it'll be UGK probably against 8Ball and MJG. UGK will represent Texas in Verzuz going up against Orange Mound."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other scheduling issues, the battle has no official date yet.
"It's kind of pushed back," Bun continued. "Everything's kinda pushed back because of the Ashanti and Keyshia Cole and they're still trying to find the right times to do a lot of this stuff but I would imagine before the summer. We've been talking about it since Verzuz started last year."
The two groups are known for their pioneering roles in hip-hop, and Southern rap in particular. Pimp C, who tragically passed away in December 2007, is known for his bluesy, soul-influenced production.
"There's a certain list of criteria they look for when considering you for Verzuz. Luckily, UGK and 8Ball and MJG checked all the boxes for that. Plus we all get along," Bun said of the matchup. "UGK Ball and G Verzuz is actually gonna be fun because we've known each other for years, we get along real well. It's gonna be interesting to get in there and play the music for the people."
The battle should happen around the 25th anniversary of UGK's third studio album Ridin' Dirty. With no music videos or official singles, the album sold over 850,000 copies and is regarded as a classic.
Stay tuned for further updates on the status of the battle.