Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson recently shared an intriguing story about how JAY-Z impacted the label’s slow release schedule.
On the R&B Money Podcast, Punch was pressed by co-host J. Valentine about TDE’s leisurely music releases. “Why it be taking y’all so long to put these damn albums out, Punch?” asked Valentine.
Punch responded with a memorable movie metaphor from JAY-Z. “We were in the studio talking,” Punch recalled. “Jay mentioned how the new Ninja Turtles movie made $300 million, but it wouldn’t make Tarantino change his script. That stuck with me—regardless of what’s hot, we stick to our goal of quality music.”
This philosophy of prioritizing quality over quantity shapes TDE’s approach to releasing music. “We want to be honest and give you quality,” Punch stated. “We’re giving artists the space to create something great. Once the artist feels ready, then we’re ready.”
However, this patient approach hasn’t always been smooth for the label’s artists. In 2022, while preparing for her much-anticipated sophomore album, SZA blamed Punch and RCA Records for the delay. She wrote on Instagram, “It’s 100% Punch and RCA on this one. I wanted the summer. They wanted more time. Atp I’m just tryna have a good time stress free lol.” Punch responded, “Starting to get tired of this. Getting tired of the whole business,” with SZA replying, “We all tired.”
Despite the tensions, SZA’s second album, SOS, was released in December of that year. It topped charts globally and won Best Progressive R&B Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
The waiting game isn’t just SZA’s story. Fans of Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, and ScHoolboy Q have also had to be patient. Jay Rock himself addressed rumors of a TDE breakup, while ScHoolboy Q clarified that the delays aren’t the label’s fault. “You think Top is telling Kendrick and SZA you can only drop one album in five years?” he asked. “I think we just cuckoo in the head, bro. We all got similarities and it shows.”
He added, “I’m 37 now. Top is like the father I never had, but if he made me wait five years between albums against my will, we’d be arguing a lot more.”
So, while TDE’s release schedule might seem frustratingly slow, the dedication to quality over quantity has proven to produce remarkable results. From JAY-Z’s advice to internal debates, it’s all part of the intricate process that defines the label.
