Tonight May 8, R&B fans will be treated to a showdown between SWV and Xscape. The confirmation of the anticipated showdown came in an Instagram post from the official VERZUZ page today. The battle between the celebrated R&B groups will come on the one-year anniversary of Verzuz.
SWV and Xscape are two of the most successful female groups that rose to fame in the 1990s. SWV, which means Sisters With Voices, was initially a gospel group consisting of Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons.
The group was formed in 1988 and transitioned to R&B in the early 1990s, making hits such as “I’m So into You” and “You’re the One”. The trio fell apart in 1998 but later reunited in 2005.
Xscape, meanwhile, was a quartet that arose out of Atlanta in the early 1990s. The group consisted of Tameka “Tiny” Harris, LaTocha Scott, Tamika Scott, and Kandi Burruss. Xscape was discovered by acclaimed producer Jermaine Dupri and was signed to his label So So Def. They produced hits such as “Just Kickin’ It” and “Understanding.”
Like SWV, they also disbanded in the late 1990s but have been reunited several times for performances, as recent as the 2017 BET awards.
While both groups have been pretty much off the radar, they have maintained dedicated fan bases that are excited about the battle. Fans on Instagram have been sharing their views about who they think will win, along with their excitement for the matchup.
Air time
SWV and Xscape will compete in the one-year anniversary edition of the famous online battle of the bands on May 8 at 8 pm ET.
How to live stream and where to watch?
The Verzuz battle will be aired live from the Instagram handle Verzuztv. The battle will also be available on the Triller App. The vocal battle between SWV and Xscape will be followed by an old-school match between The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire on April 4 and a smoke-out between Redman and Method Man on April 20.