SZA says her relationship with her label has been hostile, and the head of TDE, Punch responded.
Fans have been asking SZA for new music for the better part of the last three years, but the singer never seems to have a concrete answer for them. Recently on Twitter, she revealed that it’s really out of her hands as it’s up to her label executives to decide now. “At this point y’all gotta ask punch,” SZA wrote on Twitter in response to the incessant questions.
“I’ve done all I can do,” she added. Some SZA stans asserted that they have, in fact, directed the question to the TDE president, but his answer always revolves around sometime “soon,” which is pretty vague if you ask fans. The R&B singer wrote another post telling fans, “This is all he says to me as well. Welcome to my f***ing life.”
Another supporter asked SZA a close-ended question about what her relationship with the label has been like, and her response was “BEEN hostile.” Punch seemed to have caught on to the tweets late last night and published a few of his own. It seems he was a bit facetious about the whole thing writing, “What’s poppin? What y’all on?” a few minutes after SZA tweeted, “Brb yelling at the wall.”
I ALREADY ASKED PUNCH!! pic.twitter.com/vKThOTiHQj
— szas ctrl ? (@thisaintitchile) August 20, 2020
This is all he says to me as well . Welcome to my fucking life .
— SZA (@sza) August 20, 2020
Brb yelling at the wall
— SZA (@sza) August 20, 2020
Of course, Punch’s Twitter mentions were inundated with SZA stans posing a ton of questions on her behalf and defending the talented singer, but Punch sent out what seemed to be a sarcastic reply when he wrote, “I am a person and you guys are hurting my feelings.” Then again, maybe he was really affected by all the negative comments.
In light of SZA revealing that her relationship with TDE has “been hostile,” Punch told her fans, “I’m gonna remember you ni**as once the meet and greets pop off again,” he tweeted. While he doesn’t seem to be addressing the situation in a serious way and fans to wait indefinitely, so does SZA, which is the really tough part. Even if her release date remains unannounced, she as the artist, deserves to be in the know.
One fan defended SZA and her artistry profusely writing, “Aww man come on @iamstillpunch This looks really bad on your part and TDE. This is how you treat your female artist? And not just any female artist…SZA? We just want the music, stop all the extra.”
What’s poppin? What y’all on?
— Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) August 20, 2020
I’m gonna remember you niggas once the meet and greets pop off again.
— Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) August 20, 2020
SZA’s debut album Ctrl was released in June 2019 and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and went No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart. The multi-platinum record is still lauded as one of the best bodies of work in R&B in recent years. Since then, SZA has been featured on several tracks with top artists like Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, Post Malone, Travis Scott, and more. She has also lent her vocals to TV and movie soundtracks.
Even while she’s been active in music as recently as this year, fans are still waiting anxiously for SZA to add another solo album to her discography. SZA has been signed to Top Dawg Entertainment since 2013.
