Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have settled their recent lawsuit over Verzuz with the social video platform Triller, which they announced in a press release Thursday evening (September 22). “VERZUZ has always been a platform that is by the artists, for the artists and with the people,” the pair shared in a joint statement, continuing. “We’re glad to come to an amicable agreement with Triller and continue giving fans the music and community that they’ve come to know and love from the brand.” They did not reveal the financial details of the settlement.
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland sued Triller for $28 million in mid-August, claiming the company had been negligent with royalty payments throughout 2022. Triller acquired Verzuz in March 2021 after the Instagram-launched series had expanded to simultaneous broadcasts on Apple Music. Upon the sale, Timbaland and Swizz Beats shared equity with the performers who had participated in the series.
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz co-founded Verzuz in March 2020 as a way for artists and fans to connect during the pandemic. The series continued with appearances from Nelly and Ludacris, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, and a tense showdown between Gucci Mane and Jeezy. It eventually moved toward in-person live events, which included highlights like The Lox taking on Dipset at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
At the end of August, Sony Music also sued Triller for copyright infringement and breach of contract over Verzuz, claiming Triller’s “brazen contempt” and violation of a terminated licensing agreement. That suit—which seeks unspecified statutory and compensatory damages—remains open. Triller resolved an earlier royalty dispute last year with Universal Music Group after the company had temporarily pulled its catalog from the app.
Revisit “The Case for Triller as a Music Discovery App” and “The Best and Worst of the Dipset and the Lox Verzuz Battle” on the Pitch.
