JAY-Z encouraged Punch to move forward with To Pimp a Butterfly despite concerns about fan reaction. The conversation gave TDE leadership confidence to support Kendrick Lamar’s creative direction. The ...

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, released in 2015, stands as one of the most groundbreaking (and controversial) albums in modern hip-hop. Blending jazz, funk, and soul with sharp political ...

TDE’s Punch said JAY-Z gave Kendrick Lamar the push he needed to drop “To Pimp a Butterfly” without worrying about how people would react. While speaking on the “Elsie Not Elise” podcast, the Top Dawg ...

“While we were working on To Pimp a Butterfly, me and SZA would go to Beyoncé’s sessions, and she was writing for her. Jay-Z was there every night,” the executive said. “So, I had a chance to talk to ...