X, formerly known as Twitter, announced Wednesday that it has signed a distribution deal with music makers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz to bring content from its entertainment platform, known as Verzuz, to X, the social media platform’s newest exclusive media deal.
Verzuz, which emerged at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and led the audience into artistic battles between music producers, singers and rappers, will be available exclusively on X.
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, also known as Kasseem Daoud Dean, will retain artistic and complete ownership of Verzuz as part of the deal, according to Billboard.
X’s partnership with Verzuz comes months after the Elon Musk-owned social media platform signed deals with WWE and Range Media Partners, both of which revolve around sports content.
The financial terms of the Verzuz deal were revealed.
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X media deals are likely a way to supplement your ad earnings. Bloomberg predicts that the company is on track to generate $2. 5 billion in ad revenue last year, after generating more than $600 million in ad revenue in each of the first three quarters of 2023. .
Verzuz has featured artists including Erykah Badu, Ludacris, Alicia Keys and Snoop Dogg since its launch in 2020. The platform was sold to short video company Triller the following year before becoming embroiled in legal disputes, according to Variety, which noted Verzuz. Later purchased through Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. Verzuz’s deal with X is one of three the social media company has announced since January. X has signed a deal for at least 10 screens developed through Range Media Partners that will feature sports radio host Jim Rome. X also announced a partnership with WWE in February that has since brought exclusive five-minute wrestling matches to the platform. The programming, known as WWE Speed, airs weekly. Although it was not done through official agreements, X also managed to attract big creators like Mr. Beast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, to its platform. In January, Donaldson posted his first full-length video on X and revealed that he had earned $263,655 from the video through X’s profit-sharing program for creators.
WWE and X announce partnership to broadcast 5-minute wrestling (Forbes)
Verzuz co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland strike distribution deal with Elon Musk’s X (Billboard)
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