The atmosphere is so tense in the United States (US), you could cut it with a knife. Thankfully, the good fellas at Verzuz have offered a great release in an encounter between Alicia Keys and John Legend that’s set to take place on Juneteenth.
Why does the US celebrate Juneteenth?
This year’s celebrations of the abolishment of slavery in the US will surely ring different, with all that has transpired in the ‘land of the free’ in these past few weeks.
Friday 19 June marks 155 years since “Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free.”
The observance day is marked as a holiday in the American calendar and this time around, many corporations have adjusted their human resources policies to make this a paid holiday.
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Next Verzuz is Alicia Keys vs John Legend: What are the rules?
Pop culture has played a pivotal role in capturing the sentiment of black America’s calls for equality and protection against police brutality.
The one thing we truly needed was a call from Verzuz to offer some reprieve from the heartache we have experienced in the past few weeks.
Sure enough, the good fellas have packaged one helluva showdown which takes place on Juneteenth. For the first time ever, we will see Alicia Keys take on John Legend in a 20-track hit-for-hit face-off.
Both artists will be allowed to dig into the crates and brandish their best vocal offering, being careful to not venture too far off into features and non-album material.
Also, the Verzuz battles have evolved into a live one-way showcase where both artists perform on a single feed and not the usual two-way that presented all sorts of sonic problems.
The most important rule is to present yourself as professionally as possible and remember that this is more a celebration of culture than it is a real battle. Thus, there is no winner.
Especially on Juneteenth.
