How often do we get to watch hit makers battle it out with their biggest catalog hits? Almost never! Thanks to the ‘rona keeping us all on lockdown, many artist are engaging heavily on Instagram via live stream. Earlier in the week the legendary producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz kicked off what would be a series of live stream music battles. The two organized a battle between producers Hit Boy vs. Boi1da, followed by the awkward dogfight between songwriters Sean Garrett The Pen and The Dream. Sunday night two more record breaking songwriters continued the momentum of catalog vs catalog.
Unlike the heated exchange between Garrett and Dream, Johnta Austin, known for writing Mariah Carey’s record of the decade, welcomed a friendly competition with Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Ne-Yo to see who has penned the hottest records. The face off was highly anticipated, attracting heavy hitter musicians such as Diddy, Drake, 2 Chains, Chance The Rapper, Mack Wilds, LA Reid, and Tyrese to the live feed, with Swizz and Timbaland keeping score. The competition started with Johnta referencing a throwback track, ‘Get Gone’, from the boy band Ideal, however Ne-Yo blocked his attempt at a win with Marques Houston’s debut single ‘That Girl’. As the hits were unloaded on the audience, Ne-Yo played Rihanna classics, and Johnta showed consistency revealing his noteworthy hits like ‘Just Be A Man About It’, “Shake It Off’, and R&B crooner Tyrese’s debut single ‘Sweet Lady’. It was later revealed that Johnta penned Tyrese’s single at the age of 15, showing that his legacy in the industry was massive before he was of age.
As the rounds progressed, Ne-Yo betted on himself playing his own hit records ‘So Sick’, ‘Stay’, and ‘ She Got Her Own’, but Johnta wasn’t ready to let Ne-Yo off the ropes. Austin hit back with records ‘Shortie Like Mine’, ‘Like You’, and ‘Yo’ from teen heartthrobs Chris Brown and Bow Wow that sent viewers into a blissful nostalgia, yet Ne-Yo didn’t give up easy. He came out his bag with Hip-Hop records from Young Jeezy, Fabolous, and Plies, reminding viewers he is known for singing a lovable hook.
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Before it was over, the most anticipated records of the night were kept as final blows— We Belong Together vs. Irreplaceable. Johnta clearly won, despite the audience calling it a tie, as he finished out the battle strong. The best part of the live stream was the love shown between both writers— Johnta often egging Ne-Yo on to bring his best records, gleefully singing along, and speaking his praises about the records. Although some may revere Ne-Yo as a better writer, Johnta’s strategic timing of how he played his notable hits had a bigger impact. In all, both men congratulated each other on their success, and reminded the viewers that the checks were cut, therefore they both won.
What were your thoughts on the battle? Leave a comment below on who you thought won, or if it was a tie. Who else would you like to see face off on Instagram live? Keep the conversation going in the comments, and be sure to follow Afrovocative on all social platforms. Check out the curated playlist by Afrovocative between Johnta & Ne'-Yo on Apple Music.