Who L.A. Reid Wants Mariah Carey to Battle in Verzuz Vs. Who Is Compatible With Carey
As the Verzuz battle continues to put legends in all music categories against one another in a friendly competition of hits, Mariah Carey fans are eager for her to participate. It’s unclear whether Carey deems Verzuz worthy, but L.A. Reid thinks so and believes there’s only one person Carey should face off with. Carey’s ex-husband however thinks she’s untouchable.
L.A. Reid thinks a Beyoncé and Mariah Carey battle is fitting
Reid has been a music executive since the 80s. During a recent appearance on the FOX daytime talk show The Real, Reid said the only Verzuz battle he’s interested in seeing is on between Carey and Beyoncé. “It’s Mariah Carey versus Beyoncé!” he told the hosts. “Bey’s the queen, right? We know Bey is the queen. But sometimes Mariah might be slightly underrated for how long her career has lasted, how many hits she has, and she practically owns Christmas.”
Reid knows Carey’s potential firsthand. He was part of her huge comeback album The Emancipation of Mimi, in 2005. He even titled the album. The two worked together again for Carey’s 2008 follow-up, E=MC².
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But Carey’s ex-husband Nick Cannon, who is also one of her biggest fans, says Carey is above a Verzuz battle and no one can go up against her. Per Cannon, Carey has a talent that others in the industry does not. “Mariah writes. That’s what people gotta understand,” he told The Breakfast Club. “Mariah’s a musician. I’m not impressed by people who can perform songs that it took 30 people to make with you.”
Cannon says only one name comes to mind in regards to someone who can compete against Carey, and it’s simply based on them having similar skills. “The only person in this day and age that could go–that could’ve gone–against Mariah Carey because she writes all of her songs, she actually produces all of her songs, she puts the songs together and performs them at a high level…R. Kelly,” he said.
Many want to see Mariah Carey in a Verzuz battle
Super producer Timbaland, who is the co-creator of Verzus, has spoken about his desire for Carey to participate in the friendly competition. Many fans want to see Carey against the late, great Whitney Houston. The two collaborated on the 1998 hit “When You Believe” from the soundtrack for The Prince of Egypt. Carey has spoken about her love for Houston both personally and professionally.
“This is a good match but me and @therealswizzz have other plans for @mariahcarey,” Timbaland Tweeted in response to a fan who requested a Houston and Carey mashup. He tagged producer Jermaine Dupri, one of Carey’s collaborators, in the message to get his opinion on the fan request.
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Billboard has its own opinion of who Carey can go up against based on her success on the charts in comparison to others. Cannon was right in regard to Carey’s songwriting skills, with the report noting that Carey was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019.
As far as her Billboard chart history, Carey’s resume is impressive. Carey has 19 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, six Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, and five Grammy Awards. Billboard believes that Carey can go up against Janet Jackson. Cannon doesn’t think it’s a bad idea either, saying the battle would be “fire.” Jackson has 10 Hot 100 No. 1s, seven No. 1 albums, and five Grammys. Other names on the list include Mary J. Blige, also Beyonce, Missy Elliott, and Stevie Wonder.
