D’Angelo was originally set to do Verzuz battle with Maxwell

D'Angelo's solo performance included songs from his classic catalogue of hits

Feb 28, 2021

Famed R&B singer, D’Angelo’s Saturday night Verzuz concert was much different than fans of the webcast series created by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have grown accustomed to.

Billed as D’Angelo and Friends, the event was held at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, and unlike other Verzuz shows where artists compete against each other, D’Angelo pretty much battled himself.

Although he received assistance from some of his fellow recording artist friends like H.E.R., Method Man, Redman and others, fans of Verzuz wondered why the “Untitled” crooner wasn’t matching musical talents with a worthy opponent.

His solo performance included songs from his classic catalogue of hits, including “Brown Sugar,” “Me And Those Dreamin’ Eyes Of Mine,” and “Lady,” to name a few. He covered Lauryn Hill’s “Nothing Even Matters” in a surprise duet with songstress H.E.R., and the collaboration was so magical, H.E.R. exclaimed, “I’m singing with D’Angelo right now! What is life?!”

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After Saturday’s performance concluded, Swizz and Timbaland took to Instagram to recap the show. During a live chat, the Verzuz founders divulged the real reason D’Angelo didn’t go toe-to-toe against another singer. Swizz admitted that D’Angelo was actually supposed to be accompanied by fellow R&B titan Maxwell and their show had been scheduled for Valentine’s Day.

Swizz and Timb just said on IG live that it was supposed to be D’Angelo #VERZUZ Maxwell on Valentine’s Day but it didn’t work out and D’Angelo was ready so they went this route. I loved tonight but wow that would’ve been something.
— SYLVII YA YA (@SylviaObell) February 28, 2021

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“That didn’t work out…the fact that D’Angelo was still ready to go…and motivated, we had to celebrate him…no matter who was on stage with him,” Swizz said. “We had to celebrate that king because, as you can see, those songs that he played tonight, man, that’s real music and this is a celebrational stage…and we couldn’t play around with him. We had to let him get his garden because he showed up and showed out.”

There is no doubt that a Verzuz with D’Angelo and Maxwell would have been legendary. But, D’Angelo definitely held it down on Saturday night, and his solo performance was undeniably epic.

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