Soulja Boy Verzuz Bow Wow

6.29.21

Soulja Boy, Bow Wow Verzuz 6.26.21

It was an eventful weekend in hip-hop. Of course yesterday we covered the BET Awards which took place on Sunday, but that is not to dim the light on the incredible evening the night before, which was the Verzuz battle between Bow Wow and Soulja Boy. The two had been going at each other on social media for weeks leading up to the show, and the energy on sight did not disappoint. From trash talking, to praising each other’s hits. From dances, to guest performers. From old school classics to never-before-released verses. The Soulja Boy and Bow Wow Verzuz was a night to remember.

It seems like everyone is in agreement that Bow Wow would take this one away with his extensive catalog and hits that go beyond screaming at a microphone. Though, Soulja Boy would come with his favorite hits and claim he was the first do, many things.

The two both shared love for each other when playing their tops hits. They also each brought out multiple guest artists to help perform certain songs. Bow Wow brought out Three 6 Mafia, Omarion, and of course Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat and his Mos Def crew to perform Oh I Think They Like Me. Soulja boy brought French Montana through to perform She Make It Clap, which he actually ended up doing three times. One of them, being an unreleased Nicki Minaj verse. Soulja also brought out Lil Romeo, who was once pinned against Lil Bow Wow for being two similar rising stars in the hip-hop and R&B world. Lil Romeo put on a nice performance, and gave each of the artists their flowers. He dubbed each one of them the Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James of their era.

Fans seemed to be pleased with the performance, and when I say fans, I mean Young Money. Nicki Minaj was tweeting supporting Big Draco throughout the night, and Drake was in the Verzuz Live comments commentating the whole time. “DRAAAAKKKEEE?!” He would say, poking fun at the interview where Soulja Boy sounds flabbergasted for someone saying that Drake was one to change the game. The two do have a track together, and Drake seemed bummed he did not get a phone call, saying he would have definitely pulled through for the celebration.

In the end, they performed Marco Polo together, as a great way to end in harmony. But let’s get the official For the SoUle scorecard going and see if we agree with the Bow Wow consensus or not.

Round 1: Soulja Boy's "She Make It Clap" vs. Destiny Child feat. Bow Wow, Da Brat & Jermaine Dupri's "Jumpin, Jumpin (So So Def Remix)" 

Jumpin, Jumpin is one of those ladies favorites hits. Not to mention, the artist always get extra points when they come through Beyoncè or Jay-Z on one of their tracks. Soulja Boy is the only one of the two to have new music released. Bow Wow may have said he took his hits out too early, but I feel like he rebottled with the same. Props to Soulja for being new and innovative, but Bow Wow takes this one.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 2: Soulja Boy's "Turn My Swag On" vs. Chris Brown's "Run It (Remix)"

Soulja is still in his massive hits bag by pulling out Turn My Swag On for round two. I am already starting to wonder where things will go from here. Run It, is one of my favorite Breezy songs, but the Bow Wow remix does not stand out so heavily. Turn My Swag On was the anthem for months upon release, and was ready to shake up the entire crowd if they were not already on their feet.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 3: Soulja Boy feat. Sammie's "Kiss Me Thru the Phone" vs. Bow Wow feat. Xscape's "Bounce With Me" 

Things get difficult for me here, because the music is just so different. How did we even end up here? More often then not, Bow Wow is singing, and Soulja Boy is screaming - I mean rapping. But in this case, it is a bit opposite. I love Bounce With Me, but Kiss Me Through The Phone was a chart topping record and one of Soulja’s most important records, as well. He has got to take this one.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 4: Soulja Boy's "Pretty Boy Swag" vs. Bow Wow feat. R. Kelly's "I'm A Flirt" 

There is certainly something to say about Bow Wow’s craft at the mass scale that he has written songs, made the beats, done what he does to become so successful. But for some reason, when I think of I’m A Flirt, all I can hear is R. Kelly. While it may be Bow Wow’s song, and there are remixes on his side as well, I’m giving this round to Soulja Boy because Pretty Boy Swag was another important hit in his catalog that really got people on this new hip-hop wave.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 5: Soulja Boy feat. Nicki Minaj's "She Make It Clap (Remix)" vs. Bow Wow feat. Chris Brown & Johnta Austin's "Shortie Like Mine" 

This is the second go around for She Make It Clap, but with a surprise verse from Nicki Minaj. People are hating because Soulja had already played this song, but I do not hate it. Yes, there are other songs that Soulja could have thrown in here, but it is his new single, which Bow Wow does not have, and he got Nicki Minaj on the track, one of the most respected females in the industry. Bow Wow followed up with Shortie Like Mine, which is another one of my favorites. If I was a Barbz I would probably give this round to Soulja because of the surprise, unreleased verse. But, I am not. So I am giving it to Bow Wow with a classic.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 6: Soulja Boy feat. French Montana's "She Make It Clap (Remix)" vs. Bow Wow feat. Snoop Dogg's "That's My Name" 

Okay, okay, okay. The third and final She Make It Clap performance. Soulja Boy spices this up by bringing out French Montana for a live performance. I get it and all, but Bow Wow wins again for newness, and his Snoop Dogg feature.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 7: Soulja Boy's "Yahhh!" vs. Bow Wow feat. Birdman's "Let's Get Down" 

I personally could not wait to see Yahhh! performed live at this show. Funny enough, each artist took a shot of Ciroc right before the round, so it made sense Soulja was jumping down parts of the stage and giving us the whole, outrageous experience of whatever on earth he could have been thinking of when recording this song.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 8: Soulja Boy's "I Got Me Some Bapes" vs. Bow Wow feat. Omarion's "Girlfriend"

Soulja Boy is 100% the reason why I bought Bathing Apes from Japan back in the sixth grade. Soulja says he was the first to wear Bape, and Bow Wow just laughs. Though, he gives Soulja his props for the song, stating he loves the baseline, and was really getting into it during this performance.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 9: Soulja Boy feat. Shawty Lo & Gucci Mane's "Gucci Bandana" vs. Bow Wow's "Take Ya Home"

Here is the thing for me. Yes, Bow Wow was also in a lot of movies and made the soundtracks for them and is an overall genius. But Soulja is also a genius in his own realm. Every hit that he puts out, no matter the context or bars that go into it, they are memorable and upbeat. Not to mention, a Gucci Mane and a Shawty Lo feature. We wanted a 2000s throwback, did we not? This is everything for me, for this timeframe. RIP Shawty Lo.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 10: Soulja Boy's "Donk" vs. Huey feat. Bow Wow & T-Pain's "Pop, Lock & Drop It (Remix)" 

This is the one time that Billboard gave Soulja the win that I reversed and gave to Bow Wow. Donk was another important hit for Soulja, and certainly made its way through the clubs. But I was in the middle school, and everyone and their mommas were trying to Pop, Lock and Drop It. I just do not think there is beating this one.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 11: Nicki Minaj feat. Soulja Boy's "Yasss Bish"  vs. Bow Wow's "Basketball"

I do understand this one may hurt some folks. Basketball was a massive hit for Bow Wow and his career. A lot to do with his acting in Like Mike, and also one of the first massive songs he had wrote for himself. But me personally, Yasss Bish is still on my playlist. Whys everyone hating on Nicki and Soulja? This is one of my favorites from Soulja, so I have to give him this one.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 12: Roscoe Dash & Soulja Boy's "All the Way Turnt Up" vs. Jagged Edge feat. Bow Wow, Nelly & Jermaine Dupri's "Where the Party At (Remix)"

This is another undeniable banger from Soulja Boy. Did you guys forget about all the smash records he put out for the hip-hop party music phases?! Roscoe Dash had two hit songs, and this was one of them. But you simply could not listen to this track and not go all the way up. It’s got to be Soulja Boy’s round.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 13: Trey Songz feat. Soulja Boy & Gucci Mane's "LOL :)" vs. Bow Wow feat. T-Pain's "Outta My System" 

This one is tough. I could sing both of these tracks through and through and have both of them on my throwback playlist. For similar reasons to earlier, when I think of Outta My System, all I can hear is T-Pain. For that reason, I’m giving this round to Soulja because he once again took technology, noticed the innovations, and was the first rapper to talk about texting abbreviations and emojis on a rap song.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 14: Soulja Boy's "Let Me Get Em" vs. Dem Franchize Boyz feat. Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri & Da Brat's "I Think They Like Me (Remix)" 

Here is where So Def and part of Dem Franchize Boyz come through for an appearance on the main stage. I Think They Like Me was a middle school anthem in my book. I knew I was getting a little to deep into hip-hop for my own good when I would walk around singing this song and my class mates had no idea what it was. This is nostalgic for me, one of my favorite moments in time for hip-hop.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 15: Drake feat. Soulja Boy's "We Made It"  vs. Three 6 Mafia feat. Bow Wow & Project Pat 's "Side to Side (Remix)" 

It would have been dope if Drake did pull up for this performance, like he had mentioned in the comments. It probably would have made this round a tad bit more easy, because Three 6 showed up for Bow Wow. Side to Side is such a fun track, and I was riding the Three 6 wave for years. But, We Made It did numbers. There is no real beating the 6 God, or that “head office” bar.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Round 16: Lil Romeo's "2-Way" vs. Bow Wow feat. Mike Jones's "Fresh Az I'm Iz" 

Lil Romeo showing up made me nervous for a hott second, then made me feel great after all the flowers were granted. Romeo performs in Soulja’s space for this round. Though an incredible performance, Fresh Az I’m Iz is the track I was waiting on from Bow Wow. I love this song so much, I have to give him this round.

WINNER: Bow Wow

Round 17: Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat" vs. Bow Wow feat. Omarion's "Let Me Hold You"

Let Me Hold You is beautiful, and Omarion came out for this one too, even better. But, you know whenever it was that Soulja was going to pull out Crank Dat, that the crowd would go insane and there is just no topping the most infamous hip-hop dance classic that started a trend for plenty more hip-hop dances to come.

WINNER: Soulja Boy

Grand Total:

Soulja Boy: 11

Bow Wow: 6

See, you can never count anyone out without going round for round and really getting into the weeds of it. An incredible night overall, fantastic performances from both. Cannot wait til the next one.