Verzuz Can’t Find Anyone Worthy To Battle Busta Rhymes, But Did They Ask Missy Elliott?

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Busta Rhymes is still itching to get into the Verzuz arena for a battle, but he’s having a bit of trouble finding a worthy contender.  However, the word on the hip-hip scene is that there are a few rappers who might be too scared to square up against the Brooklyn MC for a match, according to REVOLT.

Rocky Steady Crew alum Crazy Legs took to Instagram on Oct. 19, where he relayed some interesting info that the “Touch It” rapper had shared with him about his current search.

“I had to let @bustarhymes know that no one is worthy enough to battle him,” Crazy Legs captioned a photo of himself standing next to Busta and Verzuz co-founder, Swizz Beats. “Then he told me that 5 people already turned it down. Some things are just what they are. He has the unfortunate pleasure of being a god in the rap game,” he added.

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Fat Joe echoed similar sentiments during an Instagram Live session back in September. The Roc Nation rapper revealed that he was “scared to do a Verzuz with Busta Rhymes and so is everybody else.” Joe then went on to compare the hip-hop heavyweight to a boxer.

“You gotta understand, sometimes you ever notice — you seen boxers and they knock everybody out? People be scared to fight those boxers. Busta Rhymes is gonna out-rap, out-perform anybody who goes up in a Verzuz with him. That’s a fact,” Joe explained. “Yo, Busta Rhymes nobody wanna get in there with you, man. You might have to be an honorary — they gotta give you the check for no reason,” he added.

While there may be few male competitors suitable to challenge Busta to a fiery Verzuz match, there is certainly a slew of well-qualified female MCs who  could and would beat the breaks off the rapper’s hefty catalog. Take Missy Elliott for example, a powerhouse rapstress who has penned a number of classic hits like “Lose Control,” “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It” — all of which she’s won Grammys for.  

Elliott’s songwriting and production credits alone would send Busta packing. The Virginia native has written and produced a number of songs for musicians in the industry from Fantasia and Jazmine Sullivan to the late great Aaliyah and Whitney Houston. Not to mention, Elliott became the first female rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame back in 2019. Where’s Busta’s songwriting accolade? Don’t worry…we’ll wait.

All jokes aside, there’s no denying that Missy would be a great competitor for Busta from her timeless music videos and eccentric style to her vicious wordplay and choreography, Elliott broke barriers for women in the industry, especially in the late ’90s when the sexy female trope dominated the rap scene.

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 It feels as though hip hop’s misogyny continues to diminish the talents of greats like Missy all the time, in fact, we have yet to see Verzuz set up a battle where a male and female giant in the game go toe to toe. Maybe it’s time now. Missy’s name has come up in Verzuz chatter before like back in August when a fan tweeted the star asking when she would be brought to the stage for a competition.

“Aww I am so humbly grateful but I think we will wait later on me,” she replied at the time. “I just enjoy watching everyone else’s #verzuzbattle[s]. Vibing to all of their classics & what they have done musically for the CULTURE! Respect to all of them,” she added.

Looks like it might be a while before “Bussa Bus” finds the right Verzuz opponent, but the Grammy nominee did tell The Morning Hustle back in October 2020 that he would love to face off Elliott in a potential Verzuz battle.

“I’m excited about doing a Verzuz with Missy because Missy is like my sister. She’s like my twin as far as the creative process is concerned. Her videos were just as crazy as mine. We were both crazy with the wardrobe. We were both crazy with the way we approached making records and flow patterns… and the ear we got for music. I just feel like we could set a new standard for the Verzuz battles if we did it together.”

So what’s stopping you Swizzy and Timbo? Let’s make this happen!

Check out his interview with The Morning Hustle down below and catch the Missy nod at the 5:31 mark.

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