Based on their influence, Three 6 could’ve definitely held their own against Wu-Tang Clan.īone Thugs-N-Harmony, famously discovered by NWA’s Eazy E, was a cheat code for a perfect rap song in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, collaborating with everyone from Tupac and Biggie, to Mariah Carey and A$AP Ferg. If I had to choose a better opponent, Bone Thugs would have done much better against Tha Dogg Pound or Crucial Conflict (both of whom they had beef with). The two groups were compared a lot in their prime for their dark take on hip-hop, but the odds have always been in Three 6 Mafia’s favor because of their amount of mainstream hits, one of which won an Academy Award. I also have a huge issue with the Verzuz. The headline may fool you, but I am pretty biased as a huge fan of Southern rap, but I try to approach this as unbiased as possible. Now, over a year later, the hip-hop gods threw me a bone (heh) and it was formally announced.īefore we get into the round-by-round of the battle, let’s get some things out of the way. This was announced at the beginning of the pandemic when Verzuz quickly went from an Instagram Live innovation into a full-blown cultural phenomenon, but it was never heard from again. to tune into the Verzuz battle between Three 6 Mafia and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Simplicity definitely suits him, but it still seems as though it’s missing a certain headliner flair.Last night, I awoke from my old woman slumber at 10 p.m. In what is a typically stripped-back show, The Weeknd relies on his own starpower to hold the audience’s attention, rather than props or dazzling laser displays.
As Swedish House Mafia finally slink off stage, however, he settles into the swing of things, unleashing the Eighties-indebted power-pop of “Blinding Lights”. The trio remain onstage for a somewhat forced “I Can’t Feel My Face”, where The Weeknd sounds like he’s singing against the instrumentation, rather than gliding across it. Wearing a simple black shirt and with gloved hands (no heavy facial prosthetics tonight), he’s forced to shout over Swedish House Mafia’s backing noise. The main question now is, when and how does Abel Tesfaye – aka The Weeknd – work his way into the equation?Īfter almost an hour, fans have their answer, as The Weeknd walks onstage for a rendition of “Sacrifice”. Fireworks light up the Indio sky, presumably because looking at three middle-aged blokes nodding away behind a desk isn’t terribly captivating. Their relentless beats come thick and fast, as pumpingly energetic and anonymous as a spin-class soundtrack. “Ladies and gentleman, allow us to reintroduce ourselves,” booms Axwell, before introducing Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello. Under a round circular stage resembling a giant Polo mint (that’s a Lifesaver to American readers), it’s Swedish House Mafia who kick off proceedings. Thanks to the ongoing success of 2020’s “Blinding Lights”, he’s also one of the biggest artists on the planet – which couldn’t hurt the festival’s credibility. He collaborated with the group on last year’s “Moth To A Flame”, as well as this year’s “Sacrifice (Remix)”. Like Swedish House Mafia – and Doja Cat, who performed before them – The Weeknd is managed by Wassim “Sal” Slaiby.
It’s safe to assume that the Canadian pop star was first choice. But to make it seem as though they hadn’t just lazily bumped up an already-booked act, it made sense for organisers to sprinkle some more star power over the relatively faceless European DJ trio. Returning EDM giants Swedish House Mafia were already on the Coachella lineup, with a promised late-night comeback show after their 2013 split and 2019 reformation. In the end, the solution was a relatively simple one. Thirteen days ago, Kanye West – who had long been booked as the Sunday night headliner – revealed he was dropping out, leaving promoters to scrabble around for a worthy replacement at the last minute. But the road to the closing set has been a bumpy one for weeks. For a festival that usually runs like clockwork, a 35-minute delay for Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd’s double headliner set is less-than-auspicious.