SZA’s sophomore effort was expected to be a success, but the reaction even took Terrence “Punch” Henderson slightly by surprise. It had been years since SZA released a new full-length album, but it was clear that the anticipation was getting to the hitmaker. For years, she repeatedly took to social media to voice her frustrations with her label. Punch took many of those hits, especially from fans who questioned him about SZA’s second project’s delay. He sat down with Rap Radar and spoke about the songbird’s release, as well as her evolution under the Top Dawg umbrella.
“I think she adjusting a lot better now,” Punch shared with the podcast in an intimate interview. “I think it’s finally starting to set in as to what’s going on and who she is. Like, for the longest, I don’t feel she connected who SZA is to Solána. But I think now, she’s starting to see it, to understand.” It’s something that even SZA acknowledged in a tweet where she claimed Punch told her she was losing herself.
SZA Crosses Genre Lines
A highlight of S.O.S. was the singer testing genre boundaries and stepping out of her R&B box. “She’s always bended the genre, so it wasn’t nothing new,” said Punch. “It was just going, pushing it further.” He then disclosed that it isn’t just alternative music that SZA is interested in. “Like she doing full Rap records now… She got like maybe—she got like an EP’s worth of full Rap records. Like all the way out, no singing.”
The revelation has stirred the singer’s fans, who are always in the mood for more SZA. In a profile interview with Billboard, Punch echoed his sentiments, praising his artist for her expansive reach. “SZA is a force. To go seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 is legendary,” he said of her accomplishment. “She’s a true generational artist, a cultural reset, if you will.”
“For her album S.O.S to blend so many different genres together in a cohesive frame shows her genius and versatility,” he further stated. “Then you have the voice, the words, the pain, the growth, the relapsing, the delivery, the stories, etc. … a true masterpiece.” Check out Punch’s interview with Rap Radar above.