While artists are coming up with creative ideas for the next Verzuz battle, Swizz Beatz came up with a landmark proposal for some of Hip Hop’s unsung pioneers.

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On Joe Budden’s Zone Radio IG Live convo, the Ruff Ryders producer introduced the idea of a Rakim vs. Big Daddy Kane Verzuz battle, which morphed into the recognition of the founding fathers and mothers who paved the way even before those two microphone greats.


“I want to raise a million dollars for each icon that started Hip Hop,” he says around the 10-minute mark. “Kool Herc on down. We need to be paying taxes to the creatives of Hip Hop that gave us freedom of speech to move forward. I’m going to go so hard with that — Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash and Sugar Hill Gang, minimum a million a piece.”