VERZUZ BATTLE RECAP: THE ISLEY BROTHERS VS. EARTH WIND & FIRE
Easter Sunday ended with a night full of soul and funk. The Isley Brothers and funk icons Earth, Wind, & Fire took the Verzuz stage with host Steve Harvey. The Isley Brothers played six decades of music from 1959’s “Shout” to 2003’s “Contagious.” Earth, Wind, & Fire played everything from hit song “September” and “Let’s Groove.”
Steve Harvey kept the night interesting offering his thoughts on how the groups’ music impacted his life. At the beginning of the legendary battle, Harvey went down memory lane to when he was first introduced to both group’s music. “These groups made me. This music shaped me,” Harvey said.
DJ D-Nice helped The Isley Brothers kick off the night with their cover of Stephen Stills’ smash solo while Earth Wind & Fire cut Harvey’s fav “That’s the Way of the World.” Later on in the night, the Isley Brothers served up monumental hit “(At your best) You Are Love.” To follow up, EW&F played “Reasons,” a household staple that is well written. Fans went crazy in the comments after The Isley’s played 1977’s “Groove With You,” and EW&F fired back with “Would you mind!”
Speaking of fans, they went crazy Sunday evening. One Twitter user tweeted, “Last thing I’ll say about the #verzuz from last night: Both bands went for over 4 hours without playing a single song that sounded like a repeat. Every single track was a uniquely different form of artistry. That’s musicianship.”
Last thing I'll say about the #verzuz from last night: Both bands went for over 4 hours without playing a single song that sounded like a repeat. Every single track was a uniquely different form of artistry. That's musicianship.
— Jhas Williams (@thejhaswilliams) April 5, 2021
The night was full of classical hits over six decades! When it comes to catalog width, the Isley’s have no competition. However, Earth, Wind & Fire showed why they’re still one of popular music’s most remarkable groups of all time. The match-up came to an end with the video premiere for The Isley Brothers’ “Friends and Family,” featuring Snoop Dogg. The next Verzuz battle, rappers Red Man and Method Man, will take the stage on April 20th at 8 p.m. ET on Instagram Live and Triller.
