TDE’s Punch Says a Conversation With Jay-Z Informed Label’s Release Schedule: ‘We’re Not On Nobody Else’s Timetable’

TDE’s Punch has been the face of the label’s front office on social media, with an emphasis on X. He engages with fans and is fine being their punching bag when it pertains to the company’s notorious album release schedule — or lack thereof.

Punch stopped by Tank and J. Valentine’s R&B Money Podcast recently and was asked the Question of the Night by J. Valentine: “Why it be taking y’all so long to put these damn albums out, Punch?” He then referenced a convo he had with Jay-Z about quality over quantity that also involved a famous film director. “You know what’s funny? I had a conversation with Jay-Z,” he said. “We were in the studio talking and I think the new Ninja Turtles movie had come out at that time. He was like, ‘The Ninja Turtles can come out and do $300 million. That’s not gonna get Tarantino to change his script.’”

The TDE president and rapper took that advice to heart and explained the label’s ultimate mission is to put out music that can stand the test of time. “That always stuck with me,” he said. “’Cause I’m like, no matter what’s hot and what’s going on, it’s not gonna move me to change how I’m moving. It’s not gonna change my direction on the goal — and the goal is quality music. We wanna be honest and we wanna give you quality. Whatever happens from there, happens.”

Adding, “So, as far as taking long, I look at it as we’re giving artists the space to create something great. We’re not on nobody else’s timetable. Once the artist feels, ‘OK, I’m ready,’ then we’re gonna be ready and we’re gonna go.”

SZA and their former artist Reason have expressed their frustration with TDE publicly. In a comment section of a fan page back in 2021, SZA wrote, “I really hate my label. So much.” And a year before that, she went on X and told fans to “ask punch” about new music. Reason, on the other hand, left the label after he got into it with TDE co-president Moosa on the Back on Figg podcast over his own frustrations with their handling of his music release schedule.

You can check out the full interview here.