punch

Top Dawg President Punch Congratulates Kendrick Lamar On His Final TDE Album, ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’

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Kendrick Lamar 60th Annual Grammy Awards 2018
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Today is both a joyous and sad day for Top Dawg Entertainment: Kendrick Lamar released the feverishly anticipated Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, but as he declared back in August 2021, it is his final album for the label. TDE had been his label home since the mid-2000s, back when he was releasing music as K.Dot and years before his 2011 debut Kendrick Lamar album, Section.80. Now, though, Lamar is moving on, and TDE president Terrence Louis Henderson Jr. (better known as Punch) seems to have no hard feelings about it.

This morning, Punch shared a quick social media post about the album, writing, “Shout out to Kendrick Lamar and co… congrats on the new album. Last one on TDE. We made history! Much love and continued success. [folded hands emoji].”

TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith expressed a similar sentiment last summer, writing, “With this being Dot’s last album on TDE, this is more of a VICTORY LAP, a celebration. I know he will be successful in whatever it is he decides to do and will have our FULL support. As for Top Dawg Entertainment, we will continue to grow, develop, and give artists the platform to expand into whatever way they choose. Heart, honor, respect.”

TDE’s Punch Says Kendrick Lamar Is ‘Ready To Build His Own Thing’ Ahead Of His Departure From The Label

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Kendrick Lamar Austin City Limits
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Last summer, Kendrick Lamar made a rare appearance on social media, where he delivered a shocking announcement: He revealed that his upcoming fifth album would be his last under Top Dawg Entertainment. “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood,” he wrote. “May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators.” During a recent interview with Mic, TDE’s president Terrence “Punch” Henderson spoke about Kendrick’s upcoming departure and what it means to him.

“I don’t even know if I would describe it that way as ready to leave, as more so ready to build his own thing,” Punch said. “That’s a grown man right now. We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time. So how long do you actually be signed up under somebody? It’s been almost 20 years. So it’s time to move on and try new things and venture out.”

He continued, “He’s doing a great job developing Baby Keem. It’s always been there, but now it’s just time and space where he can actually do it. It’s a beautiful thing to watch because that’s something that started with what we built in the beginning. To see it blossom, it’s a full-circle moment.”

You can read Punch’s full interview with Mic, where he also discusses SZA, TDE as a whole, and more, here.

SZA And TDE’s Punch Slam A Photographer Who Released Photoshoot Pictures Of The Singer Without Her Consent

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SZA and TDE’s President Terrence “Punch” Henderson aired out their grievances with a photographer who they allege released photos of the singer without their permission. SZA first brought the matter to the attention of her followers on Twitter, writing in a post, “Releasing pictures of me w out my consent is scary . Y’all be careful working w folk u don’t know well .”

One person asked if her message was in regards to photos of her in a blue bikini that recently appeared on social media. SZA confirmed that this was true, replying, “He literrally text me [and] said ‘sorry if u never wanna work w me again but I decided I’m releaseing these.’” She added, “Never felt more powerless or disrespected.”

Punch later called out the photographer directly after he failed to get in contact with him. “Anybody know this dude @Edwiggery ?” he wrote. “This man leaked a whole photo shoot of SZA WITHOUT permission. Now he’s not responding.”

The photographer addressed the issue in a tweet of his own. “Definitely not doing anything for clout, there’s so much more to this than you guys know, I’m not a bad person,” he tweeted. “I’m not arguing with anyone on social media. Never have, never will. And please stop sending death threats [prayer hands emoji].” Punch caught wind of his message and replied, “And you still got the post up on ig?? You doing this wrong champ. I promise you you’re doing this the wrong way.”

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The picture of SZA remains up on the photographer’s page, and upon viewing it, a disappointing comment from SZA can be seen. “I begged u not to post these,” she wrote.

Punch Creates Rap Mt. Rushmore Lists From ’89 To Present

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Top Dawg Entertainment’s Punch is out here sparking holiday weekend debates. Fresh from naming his current day hip-hop Mount Rushmore list, the TDE president goes even further by creating rundowns dating back to the 80’s. Punch Creates Rap Mt. Rushmore Lists The West Coast executive hit up Instagram and didn’t hold back on getting iconic […]

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TDE’s Punch Has Cardi B – Not Nicki – On Rap Mt. Rushmore

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Top Dawg Entertainment executive Punch sees Cardi B as way bigger than just a buzzing artist right now. The hip-hop boss has shared his personal list of the hottest rappers in the game with summer around the corner giving love to the “WAP” and “UP” hitmaker over competition from Young Money’s Drake, Lil Wayne or […]

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SZA Tells Fans ‘Be Nice’ To Her Manager Punch While Clearing Up Her Statement About ‘Hating’ Her Label

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SZA did some damage control on Twitter after her earlier comment about “hating” her label apparently led to fans lashing out at Top Dawg Entertainment and its president Punch, the most active member on social media. “Punch is my manager (not a machine or a label) lol,” she clarified. “also been like my stage dad the last 10 yrs. be nice to him pls. he really fights for me. Not angry w him. Or anybody really. Jus my own choices.”

She also made the self-aware observation that her words were being taken out of context because they were stated on a public forum. “I be in the comments of my supporters pages thinking I’m talking freely to 4 ppl lmao,” she noted. “I’m not. Woops lol.”

It’s not the first time that one of SZA’s outbursts have led to a stir on social media — and unsurprisingly, also involved Punch. In August of last year, she tweeted, “At this point y’all gotta ask punch. I’ve done all I can do.” However, after fans took her tweet more seriously than she intended (always a danger on Twitter, where concepts like “sarcasm” and “inside jokes” are practically held in contempt if they’re acknowledged at all), she elaborated, “Don’t nobody need to free me. I’m not held hostage n neither is my music!! me n punch be disagreeing ..hes never steered me wrong and I trust Gods timing.”

Incidentally, she might be right; in 2017, after the runaway success of SZA’s debut album CTRL, she told The Guardian that her TDE cohorts had to physically take her hard drive away from her to keep her from tinkering and ensure its release.