Tomorrow night, Thursday, August 20, two of the most recognizable voices from the golden era of grown-folks R&B are stepping into the VERZUZ spotlight as Joe and Donell Jones bring their catalogs together for what should be a celebration of classic R&B. The event is set for 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET, with fans able to watch live through Apple Music and the official VERZUZ channels.
This matchup is special because neither artist needs an introduction to R&B fans. Joe has spent decades delivering everything from bedroom-ready slow jams to street-influenced collaborations, while Donell Jones built a catalog around smooth vocals, songwriting and records that became staples of the culture.
Apple Music’s official VERZUZ cheat sheet highlights records including Joe’s “I Wanna Know,” “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do),” “More & More” and Donell’s “Where I Wanna Be,” “U Know What’s Up,” “This Luv” and “Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me).”
And if we were putting together the 20-song sets, here’s how we’d come to the table.
🎤 JOE — Top 20
I Wanna Know
All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do)
Stutter
No One Else Comes Close
If I Was Your Man
Ride Wit U
Don’t Wanna Be a Player
The Love Scene
Good Girls
More & More
I Believe in You
Let’s Stay Home Tonight
What If a Woman
Love & Sex
So I Can Have You Back
All That I Am
Treat Her Like a Lady
Love Don’t Make No Sense
The Rest Will Follow
Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again
🎤 DONELL JONES — Top 20
U Know What’s Up
Where I Wanna Be
Knocks Me Off My Feet
Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)
This Luv
Have You Seen Her
You Know That I Love You
I’ll Go
Do U Wanna
In the Hood
Natural Thang
Life Goes On
My Apology
I Wanna Luv U
Where You Are, Pt. 2
Put Me Down
I Hope It’s You
All About You
Love Like This
Yearnin’
THE VERDICT?
That’s the beauty of a matchup like this. You can have your favorite before the first record even plays, but once those catalogs start getting pulled out, the conversation changes. Joe has the longevity, crossover records and an enormous catalog, while Donell has some of the most deeply rooted slow-jam and R&B classics of his generation.
This VERZUZ can be viewed more as a celebration than a beef, which feels exactly right for these two artists. This is grown-folks R&B, so expect the crowd to sing, reminisce, argue over every round and probably rediscover a few records they haven’t heard in years.
But for competition purposes: Donell Jones or Joe?
Tune in Thursday, August 20 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET. You can watch the VERZUZ live on Apple Music and through the official VERZUZ channels.
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