The final results are in and Billboard fans are responsible for making the Verzuz between Grammy Award winners Bounty Killer and Beenie Man the all-time favorite to date. The event was streamed live from Jamaica during the Memorial Day weekend this year.

The battle was a first in a variety of ways. The Bounty Killer vs. Beenie Man event received an unprecedented 88 percent of the vote, with 44.6 of that coming from Jamaican fans. The two DJs also utilized an entirely different format – they’re the first to perform in the same room and the first to use an IG Live Feed.

The showdown attracted more than 500,000 viewers on Instagram, with another 1.7 million on other platforms. The battle was also covered by the CNN network and the results were published on Billboard. Viewers represented a Who’s Who of prominent politicians, celebrities, and media personalities from around the world.

The event was a much-needed diversion for people that had been under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was even more of a treat for viewers in the U.S. The country revoked the Visas of both music legends in 2010. Following the success of the Verzuz battle, a number of artists are calling for the reinstatement of the Visa for both men.

At one point the epic clash was briefly interrupted when local police arrived to investigate a complaint about loud music and a large social gathering was in progress contrary to pandemic edicts. Police were understanding and allowed the battle to continue after Beenie Man explained it was all part of a global event.

The Bounty Killer vs. Beenie Man battle was far and away one of the most popular Verzuz battles to ever be held and enjoyed resounding success, even amidst the pandemic. Jamaican music fans and battle enthusiasts accrued an impressive 1 billion impressions for Brand Jamaica.

Source: Billboard