When Celebration Turns Personal

What started as talk about a potential Verzuz between T.I. and 50 Cent has turned into something much bigger. Verzuz was created to celebrate music and legacy, but it did not stay about the music for long.

Once family and personal history entered the conversation, it stopped feeling competitive and started feeling uncomfortable. At that point, it is no longer about who has the better hits. It becomes about respect.

From the outside, there appeared to be a disconnect. If 50 was not interested in doing a Verzuz, it would have been cleaner to say that. Instead, it felt like mixed signals. When T.I. made it public and 50 acted unaware, the tone shifted.

Of course, I am only hearing one side of the story. There is always more happening behind the scenes than what the public sees. Still, clarity could have prevented much of the escalation.