Overview
- In a new interview, Terrence “Punch” Henderson recalls telling Jay‑Z the album could “piss off the whole fanbase,” and Jay‑Z replied, “Good, do it now, so they can’t never put you in the box.”
- Punch says the exchange happened as he and SZA attended Beyoncé’s sessions, where Jay‑Z was present nightly during the making of the 2015 album.
- He adds the advice “stuck” with him and boosted his belief that Kendrick and TDE were on the right track in breaking norms.
- Released in March 2015, To Pimp a Butterfly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and drew widespread critical acclaim, even as it alienated some fans.
- Coverage notes Kendrick has since moved on from TDE, with his most recent album, GNX, issued on his own imprint, pgLang.