Teddy Riley vs Babyface: The Rematch

As we go about living in this new quarantine life thanks to COVID-19, Instagram has given music a platform to entertain us. Over the last few weeks there have been Instagram music battles going on between top artists and super producers from Swizz Beatz vs Timbaland to T-Pain vs Lil John and many more but in my opinion the most anticipated one was Teddy Riley vs Babyface. Both of these men are legends in their own right so we knew they were both going to bring it. I admit I was interested in this but lost track as to when it was going to be and I missed the initial night of Saturday, April 18th at 9pm EST on IG Live (Instagram Live).

Apparently, though, I didn’t miss much as users that did catch it roasted Uncle Teddy to the core. Babyface was on Live ready to go and so was Teddy but Teddy wasn’t ready because he had no sound. Apparently the entire time (which I don’t believe was too long before Babyface threw in the “tile” (sic) (I know it’s towel but that is a running joke meant for R&B singer Tyrese) Teddy and his crew (there was no social distancing or any masks present) just couldn’t seem to get it up and running.

Babyface waited patiently until they decided to postpone and have a rematch on Monday, April 20th at 8pm EST. So many memes were made from Friday’s situation but my 2 favorite tweets were, 1) If doing the most was a person it’d be Teddy Riley and 2) In a world full of Teddy’s be a Babyface. Apparently I hadn’t missed much so I was excited to get a chance to see the rematch so I penciled that in my calendar.

On April 20th at 8pm EST I hopped on Babyface’s Live as did many others as we yet again waited for Teddy. It didn’t take long before the jokes started as many claimed, “Not again,” “I got all dressed up for this?” or “Where are the millenials?” Babyface just kept saying, “We just waiting on Teddy.” At about 8:15pm all was well we had Teddy on Live and were ready to go.

There are 20 rounds where Teddy begins with the 1st round of 10 then they switch it up for the last 10 where Babyface starts.

Round 1: Teddy: Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)-SWV
Round 1: Babyface: Love Should’ve Brought You Home-Toni Braxton

Winner: Teddy. I’m sorry you have no idea how I have love love loved that Human Nature Remix since I was a child so that was an easy win for Teddy in my book. (Teddy-1, Babyface-0)

Round 2: Teddy: Make It Last Forever-Keith Sweat (feat Jacci McGhee)
Round 2: Babyface: Soon As I Get Home-Babyface

Winner: Teddy. This was hard as I love both of these songs but I’ve known all the words to Make it Last Forever forever and that’s my favorite Keith Sweat song so Teddy took this one. (Teddy-2, Babyface-0)

Round 3: Teddy: Just Got Paid-Johnny Kemp
Round 3: Babyface: Rock Steady-The Whispers

Winner: Babyface. Look I like Just Got Paid and even want to sample it in a song I wrote but Rock Steady has been and will always be a bop. I mean how can you not “rock steady” when you hear this. Babyface on the board. (Teddy-2, Babyface-1)

Now mind you were are on Babyface’s Live and Teddy is joined to it with about 375k people watching via IG Live at this point. You could hear Babyface and his music really clear but Teddy’s side wasn’t as loud. Viewers kept telling Teddy to turn his music up and the comments began, “Stop telling Teddy to turn it up we don’t need him touching anything” to “I know y’all scared but Teddy needs to turn it up a bit.” I tell you the comments were just as entertaining for we know the internet has no chill. Let’s continue:

Round 4: Teddy: Get Me Home-Foxy Brown feat Blackstreet)
Round 4: Babyface: Everytime I Close My Eyes-Babyface (feat Kenny G, Mariah Carey & Shelia E.)

Winner: Babyface. Sorry but this Babyface song hit different than that Foxy Brown. Slow and steady gets this one for me. (Teddy-2, Babyface-2)

Round 5: Teddy: Piece Of My Love-Guy
Round 5: Babyface: Ready Or Not-After 7

Winner: Babyface. I just like the groove of Ready Or Not over Piece Of My Love. (Teddy-2, Babyface-3)

Round 6: Teddy: I Like The Way-Hi-Five
Round 6: Babyface: Every Little Step-Bobby Brown

Winner: Babyface. Honestly I just know more lyrics to Every Little Step and how can you not act like you’re performing this when singing it.
(Teddy-2, Babyface-4)

Round 7: Teddy: I Want Her-Keith Sweat
Round 7: Babyface: Can We Talk-Tevin Campbell

Winner: Babyface. Sorry but with these 2 songs there’s no competition. Tevin’s got this hands down. (Teddy-2, Babyface 5)

Round 8: Teddy: I Like-Guy
Round 8: Babyface: The Way You Love Me-Karyn White

Winner: Teddy. I know much more of the song I Like than I do the other…sorry Karyn. (Teddy-3, Babyface-5)

Round 9: Teddy: Is It Good To You-Heavy D & The Boyz
Round 9: Babyface: I’m Ready-Tevin Campbell

Winner: Babyface. I don’t know that Heavy D song, I’m sorry. (Teddy-3, Babyface-6)

Babyface asks for a count check to see where they’re at. I counted and got 9. Now people are joking in the comments because things start to freeze up a little bit on Teddy’s end saying, “Teddy going Live off the trap phone” and “Nobody move”. They teased Tyrese who was in the comments, “Tyrese is typing carefully today.” So we continue on with viewership topping 482k and did I mention Michelle Obama hopped on Live in the comments to also get in on this iconic moment. You coukd tell because someone noticed and made it know so she got a lot of love on Live tonight as well in the midst of this. Let’s proceed:

Round 10: Teddy: The Show-Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh
Round 10: Babyface: Two Occasions-Babyface

Winner: Teddy. The Show gives me go go vibes from back in the day when my aunt and uncle used to play this. No competition here. (Teddy-4, Babyface-6)

Time to switch the order so now for the last 10 songs Babyface will go 1st:

Round 11: Babyface: Rock Wit’cha-Bobby Brown
Round 11: Teddy: The City Is Mine-Jay Z & Blackstreet

Winner: Babyface. Sorry but the classic Rock Wit’cha gets the gold. (Babyface-7, Teddy-4)

Round 12: Babyface: On Our Own-Bobby Brown
Round 12: Teddy: In The Closet-Michael Jackson

Winner: Teddy. I’ve never heard of that Bobby Brown song and against In The Closet…no. (Babyface-7, Teddy-5)

I’m not gonna lie I probably broke the internet will all of the shoulder action I was giving that MJ song but I looked up and there were 511k people watching (the most that I saw during the entire performance). All of a sudden everyone got kicked out at about 9:04pm. We all scrambled to get back online which thankfully only took a few minutes. You begin to see comments like, “Kings breaking the Internet” and Tyrese jokingly saying, “IG hating on Black Excellence.” Next up:

Round 13: Babyface: When Can I See You-Babyface
Round 13: Teddy: Before I Let You Go-Blackstreet

Winner: Teddy. Come on I mean the way they sing that last line, “I don’t wanna lose your sweet love, So don’t say goodbye say goodnight.” We all sing it, I know we do. (Babyface-7, Teddy-6)

Round 14: Babyface: Whip Appeal-Babyface
Round 14: Teddy: Let’s Chill-Guy

Winner: Babyface. It didn’t matter what Teddy came with for I as a diaper wearing baby whipped my little butt to Whip Appeal. Instant win. (Babyface-8, Teddy-6)

Round 15: Babyface: My, My, My-Johnny Gill
Round 15: Teddy: Deep-Blackstreet

Winner: Babyface. Seriously? Must I really state why why why why why why why? (Babyface-9, Teddy-6)

Round 16: Babyface: Red Light Special-TLC
Round 16: Teddy: I Get Lonely-Janet Jackson

Winner: Babyface. This only took 2 seconds of play and it didn’t matter what Teddy had ready, he wasn’t getting this round. (Babyface-10, Teddy-6)

Round 17: Babyface: Superwoman-Karyn White
Round 17: Teddy: Jam-Michael Jackson

Winner: Teddy. Listen I like the song Superwoman but Jam has way too much funk to bypass it. (Babyface-10, Teddy-7)

Round 18: Babyface: You’re Makin’ Me High-Toni Braxton
Round 18: Teddy: Rump Shaker-Wreckx-N-Effect

Winner: Babyface. How can you just not give this to Toni…how? (Babyface-11, Teddy-7)

Round 19: Babyface: I’ll Make Love To You-Boyz II Men
Round 19: Teddy: Dangerous-Michael Jackson

Winner: Babyface. Michael is the GOAT however you all can’t tell me you’re not giving your all in the last 45 seconds of this Boyz II Men song you just can’t. (Babyface-12, Teddy 7)

Right as each of them were getting ready to play their last songs at 9:56pm Teddy steps away and we all get disconnected again. Babyface goes Live and we all hop over there to wait for Teddy. Apparently Instagram couldn’t handle the greatness overload. We waited but Babyface never was able to join Teddy back in the session although he appeared in the comments. They then tried to go to Teddy’s Live and let Babyface try to join in there but getting a split screen with them both was a no go for the final round; they would have to do it seperate. So I hopped over to Babyface’s Live to hear his last song and then over toTeddy’s.

Round 20: Babyface: Count On Me-Whitney Houston & CeCe Winans Round 20: Teddy: Blood On The Dancefloor-Michael Jackson (yet some are saying he played No Diggity-Blackstreet as the final song).

Winner: Babyface. He played Whitney. Case closed. I didn’t hear Teddy play No Diggity but if he did he might take this round over Babyface. (Babyface-13, Teddy-7)

Overall Winner: Babyface

At 10:33pm Babyface was done and Teddy was on his Live finishing up his last song…the rematch was over and I logged out. I have to say I really enjoyed this IG Live battle and am glad I had an opportunity to see and hear it. I knew Babyface’s catalog was long as well as Teddy’s but specifically with Teddy I didn’t realize that he’s produced some of my absolute favorite classics.

Both uncles were good sports and even performed live with some instrumentation (Babyface on the guitar and Teddy on the keyboard). As you can see Babyface won in my opinion so #golisten to the full playlist and decide for yourself. The only question left is who would you all like to see throw down on IG Live next?