Posted by Busta Rhymes made it abundantly clear he wants to face off with T.I. in the next Verzus battle, telling Fat Joe on Instagram Live, “I’m gonna bust his ass.” But evidently Tip isn’t feeling the potential matchup. On Wednesday (October 21), the Hustle Gang boss headed to Instagram Live to explain why he didn’t think he’s the right pick.
“Busta Rhymes is one of the most phenomenal talents of our time, man,” he said in the clip. “Muthafucka’s catalog is thick. Catalog is thick! It just ain’t the same. I can’t go back right now and play goddamn Pop Warner football … we can’t reach back there. Might as well call out Melle Mel … [it would be like] Brandy against Dionne Warwick.”
He added, “I salute and respect Busta a whole lot. I just think the generational gap might be just a little too much. Actually, Busta and Fat Joe wouldn’t be bad. You were on the Fat Joe show. You and Fat Joe was around the same [era].”
View this post on Instagram#TI respectfully declines #BustaRhymes #Verzuz battle due to generational gap.
Tip then suggested Twista would be a better opponent for Busta but also promised “we gon’ figure it out.”
He continued, “I appreciate the consideration. I truly do, Busta. I appreciate your contributions to the culture. Got nothing but respect for you. I feel like me and Busta would be me calling out and saying ‘21 Savage, I want to see! Me and you, Verzuz!’”
T.I. and Busta have an eight-year age difference, with Tip being born in 1980 and Bus-A-Bus in 1972. Busta’s inaugural studio album The Coming arrived in 1996, while Tip’s first LP I’m Serious was released in 2001.