After suffering through a pair of postponements, the R&B-themed Verzuz battle between Ashanti and Keyshia Cole finally has a “new and final date.” Verzuz revealed on Tuesday evening (January 12) that the much-delayed celebration featuring the R&B titans is now set for next Thursday, January 21 at 8 p.m. EST.
“RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, SNOW LET’S GO,” Verzuz wrote. “Join us Thursday, January 21st as we kick off the first #VERZUZ of 2021 with @Ashanti and @KeyshiaCole. Thank you everyone for being patient with us. We can’t wait for this magical night with Keyshia and Ashanti!”
The Verzuz bout was originally scheduled for December 12 before being canceled due to Ashanti testing positive for COVID-19 following a trip to Kenya. It was then slated for January 9 but was postponed once again due to concerns amid the surging COVID-19 pandemic.
Verzuz then announced that the R&B face-off wouldn’t be held in the same room unlike previous battles such as Jeezy-Gucci Mane and Snoop Dogg-DMX.
“As much as we enjoy having everyone together in the same room, the protect the artists and everyone who works with us in putting shows together, we’ll be going back to separate locations for a bit,” the platform explained. “We’re excited for the next few events, and look forward to getting back to the show in the coming weeks.”
Verzuz hopes the tweaks allow the long-awaited matchup to go off without a hitch next week when the pair of Grammy-nominated singers grace the stage. Make sure to tune into the Verzuz Instagram Live or Apple Music to see it all go down on January 21 at 8 p.m. EST.