In a recent interview with Elsie Not Elise, Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson shared a conversation he had with Jay-Z prior to Kendrick Lamar dropping To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015. Punch discussed how he and SZA would attend Beyoncé’s studio sessions, where Jay-Z was a regular presence.
Punch expressed his concerns to Jay-Z about the upcoming album, stating, “we getting ready to drop this album that’s going to piss off the whole fanbase.” He was worried about the drastic departure from Lamar’s previous work on Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.
Jay-Z’s response surprised Punch, as he recalled, “His response was, ‘Good, do it now, so they can’t never put you in the box.’ And that stuck with me, for sure.” This encouragement from Jay-Z gave Punch the confidence that they were on the right track with the project.
To Pimp a Butterfly was released in March 2015 and was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. The album featured tracks like “Alright,” “King Kunta,” “The Blacker the Berry,” and “I.” Dr. Dre served as an executive producer, with guest appearances from Thundercat, George Clinton, Snoop Dogg, and more.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 324,000 album units in its first week. Punch’s recollection of Jay-Z’s advice provides insight into the creative process behind the groundbreaking project.
