Rap Radar: Punch

with baby Face, that was a good time. They were on a hot streak. Man. You know what I'm saying. It feels like it. Man. Sometimes the numbers might have reflect it, but ye would saying numbers numbers the love for RB legends, Man, list did I do? That was a really good conversation. Shout out to baby Face, Shout to Rika, thanks for sitting with me and the Yellow Guy. Hey man, young boys one point five, you know, looking looking lovely out there. He gotta do some a demon party. Man,

he's out there. Man, you out here too, though, Man, I saw that NAS interview with the ju Man me Man, I had to keep a little secret. Fine secretive man shout baby faces, never keeping a secret, No, man, shout out Frasier over there. You know, Frasie needs to be a complex VQ of course, the great Wolf. Well, so you know, man, we we you know, full transparency. You know, I haven't had always had the best placeship with Na

Strudis trying to repair that for a long time. As you know, we've had We've offered him this platform many times, he's flatly turned us down. And then with GQ, it wanted somebody to document him playing a garden and Frasier wanted me to do it. And Frasier didn't even know I had certain, you know, tough history with Nas, so they said I was gonna do it. Took a while for him to say he agreed to it, but then he agreed, so then you know, super cool man, we

finally chopped it up. I end up even backstage right before he went on there a half hour, so um, it was fun. Man. Anthony was excited that we finally put the play together and he sat down. So hopefully you know, it leads to us having to fighting chance to get him, get him on our platform. Now, man, we sort of bridge that gap. I like saying, you're a very brave heart. Juggle man. That's such a partie. Juggles out. I shook juggles head man, your juggles. But

I know who you are now. But shout out Anthony Sleet. You know that's a guy man, g cold. This whole team over there, man, good dudes and stuff and yo, NAS man, that's the best Not show ever. So yeah, I would agree. We talked about it last episode, but I was thinking about it after we talked. I think it is the best NAS concert that I haven't been to. That's want one of those B sides. Man. Yeah nah, he definitely was. He tore it down. But you know what's what I told you, I had to. I hate

to admit it. He faked me out. Man. I left early because usually he ends the show with one mic. Because I went for the exit like that. We say as a reporter, don't leave the show too early. He did the one mic thing that she usually like towards the end of the show. I was like, all right, let me hit out. I saw you mad um three sixty outside. Yeah I'm sixty. He's like, yeah, that's in the man coming out soon, dude, And then he went on. He kept he did the Hot Boys remix, you all me.

He got emotional speaking on his mom's at the end. You know, thank God for it, for the people videotaping shell Man, I have to settle this from Queenland and so I connected it. But I would have stayed to the end, I thought, hen because it was non stop energy. Man like the guy what he tore it down. Man, absolutely man give his heart and soul in that performance. Man,

I thought that was dope. It was fitting too. And he also brought out hit Boy and I was thinking about, you know, him and hit Boy on the hell of a Hot streak, right crazy, And I thought about it afterwards. I feel like this year is gonna be a year of the collaboration. You think so. I think so because of course, you know, hit Boy and Nazi did that thing last year, but still it's still running into this year. Then we got Larry June, the Alchemists coming, We got yeah,

I'm excited about the Larry June. We got a push the t and DJ Drama coming soon. So I feel about that one. He broke that one to the world, you know what, you know what I mean currency Jermaine Duprix he broke that to the world to listen. I feel like that's what the twenty twenty three is gonna be all about. Man, be dope, though, I think this more collaborators needed, you know what I'm saying. Like, I think it's just it's a cool thing like Drake and

Savage obviously to set the tone. Um, yeah, I could see more of that happening. I think it's important. Man, shout a hip boy. Man. Hip boy is on an amazing run. Yep. I think he's back with Benny and the studio now too. He's on that Don Tyllivan. He's not every project that comes out. Man, that guy just just like and he's so versatile with his production, like you can't even pin it, like, yeah, a signature sound anymore. So shout out hit man. You know he putting that work.

Speaking of hot streets, we got a guy who's on the hell of a one right now. He could say he's get the label. Got the hottest start the year, Man ten weeks at number one weeks. Man ain't counted. You know. The face of tv E is an R and B singer named Scissory to the Spinners, the medical guy. That's my first question to points, why have it to the spinners? Man bars is heavy too, though, since the

paying game is is vicious. Maybe Face was talking about how good she is as an artist to in the last episode, So yeah, no, obviously, Yeah, she puts a lot of crafts into a songwriting and like so you know she's from that tradition. You know, you know, I got punched today. Man punches on the program. You know, president of TV still got to be super proud like Scissor. He gets all the credit with Sissor, like he was the one that really signed her and like you know,

developed it through the years. Obviously controls a classic and now this album's even he clips that. Man, the reception has been crazy, and of course he's has two sold out shows at Madison Square Garden. Yeah, like it was last night, the first show with tape before a second show tonight. So he's like, come to New York. Miss it with the West one of the West Coast Kings in New York. Man switch to the style. But it's like the Control days, right whatever bringing the rockets to

me that controverse came out. We haven't seen we haven't had punch on the programming, Like what almost five six years, A long time. It's been a while. The last time he was here, it was so funny. He missed his flight, right because of whatever the circumstances. He was in New York and he missed his flight. So later that day, I was gonna get gas in my neighborhood. Right. I look up while I'm pumping. Who I see it's fucking punch Queens. Yeah, said Queens. What I'm doing here? He's like, yeah,

I see you. Part he because we filmed it earlier in the day, right, So he missed his flight and then like six o'clock in the afternoon, I'm going to get gas and the neighborhood punch and then we did him the next morning. We did him that same day. Oh wow, Yeah, that's crazy that the punch out, the punch man, you know. And he'd be rapping too, the little oh yeah everyone full of mirrors thing he had last year. It was the last year, the year before

he's putting it. It was last year, the whole rap collected together with Nick Nick Grant, that's my day, Like yeah, And he also got busy on the Appsoles project too. Let's talk about that good man man. He tore down. He has a blue playlist to all the little guests. He just on him TV, which is nice. Man, Boss Punch is nice. You think he ever gonna put on album. He's like he's like the Punch Electronica and the album is good. That's the thing too, like Punch when he

put it out. Yeah, that's a signature. Yeah, let's seem on the program, Manna getting a team. It's own man, top Dog Terence Punch Henderson Man, Yes, sir, Yeah, rapper it off podcast? What's up baby? Great? It's like we have an old friend. Yes, this guy stirs it up on the internet for many years. Man be able to call him the executive the Week a couple of weeks ago, but I know him as a president of TDE Terence Punchion Terence, welcome back on the program, man, I'm glad

to be back. Yeah. The only two kid to have two weeks number one album platform. Man, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, how do you do it? Punch Man? How do you share everybody up and deliver since the album that I think even exceeded many expectations. We just made the music, you know what I mean? We didn't uh we didn't give in to the pressure of people asking for it and saying when we should put it out. Like, as a unit and as a team, we know when

the time is right, when it's ready. So I just you know, I was ready at the right time and we mapped it out from there. Do you feel vindicated now with a successful the album? No? Now, what I mean, I don't see. I don't look for validation from nobody. Really, it's about keeping the integrity of the music, you know what I mean? And I feel we made a great project and we put it out and that was that was it. It's not a yeah, look at us, we did it. We proved the wholly out wrong. Like it's

not the thing. It's about making great music. But the fans never got into these skin because those sits of fans was they were going hard. They didn't name. They don't have a name like the Bobs or anything, but we didn't give him a name. Camp sits camp siss okay, my bad. Camp sitism beyond you. But you know what, It's all motivated out of love, you know what I mean.

Like I always say, she said some stuff that touched some people, so they wanted like it resonated with something in their life, so I never I never really take it personal. I like to have fun and go back and forth with them sometimes. So what exactly is is Punch's role with a siss An album? Like is it a constant thing where she's sending you songs and you're giving your input, Like how would you describe what your role is? And when you look back at sos? Like

what role do you play specifically? And that's one of the roles I played, where she actually recorded most of it by herself, Like I come to the studio maybe early, and we'll talk, I mean talk about what's gonna happen for the day, and then I'll leave leave her there with the engineer and should cook up and I may come back later or maybe the next day and listen to the record and who just you know, my job was to pretty much make an album out of the songs,

amongst other things, because I'm not serious you about sequencing. But then when I saw the track list at first, before I heard it, it was like, oh, there's a lot of songs on this albums that was surprising, Like for somebody who I know, you're very meticulous about sequencing, like can you speak on that, Like sequencing album that has a lot of tracks on, it's probably a little more higher challenge, right, I wanted twelve. I wanted twelve

to fourteen. I mean, I feel like that's enough as long as you get the point across or what you're trying to say in the music and the story of the album. But it's a new day as well, you know what I mean. We have streaming, so we don't have to stick to those same old rules that we always had, you know what I mean. But early on in the process, I'm like, nah, we gotta do fourteen. That's it. But you know her, she wanted to add more, like she feels like she was gone for so long.

She wanted to get the fans, you know what I mean, they're worth. So we decided on the twenty three and we made a story like out of the whole thing, Like if you listen to it, like it goes up and down in emotion and goes up and down sonically, so it's a whole cohesive thing. And to bland all those different genres, which is tough, but I think we U think we did a good job. I like it,

is it more fun? Sequence in the R and B album versus the rap albums, It's all the same to me because I really look for the story, and I mean what was trying to be painted as a whole. So I love it, Like either way they're singing or

there's rapping, whatever, it's all music. What we mentioned about stuff like she definitely showed her range right on this stood like talk about that, like was that something you knew from Jump that she wanted to do with the project or that that just kind of just developing the process. Well not she always done it, you know what I mean, But a lot of it don't get highlighted like other records, would you know what I mean? Like she did Drew Barrymore on CTRL. She also had prom on there, you

know what I mean? Even before that, like other stuff, She's always been she always bended the genre. So it wasn't nothing new. Was just going just pushing it further, Like she's doing full rap records now. Yeah, so she got them, bars man, really she got like maybe she got like an EPs worth of full rap records, like all the way out and I'm singing, so I like the flow. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, She's are you constructed with the with the with the bars. Absolutely yeah.

I don't get something like, hell, what you mean when he said this, like, how does that make sense with this part? We'll go back and forth for sure. Thin when you heard smoking on xpass nuts like she really went in but it fits though, it fits her. I mean, it's not like it was something that she was trying to experiment on and it was left full left field, like it's all in the flow of who she is. Speaking of the raps man, how did you acquire this

ODB vocals Forgiveness? I was crazy, Um, Rodney Jerkins. It was footage that he had of ODB, and Um, that's the story was they was in la at the studio and Rodney was playing beats and ODB was in another room. I guess he was in the hallway and hurt the beats and he went in and he just started freestyle and then Rodney said he's known for like all right. So at some point Rodney picked up his camera and

started feeling him. So when uh Alroddy made the beat for forgiveless, I get he heard ODB remember that, and he tried to place it up under there. So that's how that came about, so it was just automatic, like, oh, we're gonna put that on the on the drink. Absolutely when he first did it, you know the idea. It's crazy and it's still going in conjunction with her wool tang thing. Her name is Scissors, right. We had Rizard due to promo for the first album for CTRL, so

like it only be right, makes sense. Full circle moment man, Yeah, absolutely, a lot of full circle moments, you know with this project. Like I saw that you tweet this morning that you saw her, you met her? H No, you met her in twenty eleven, and you remember seeing her perform at Brooklyn Steel only fifty to seventy five people. Fast forward now we're doing Madison Square Gardens, right, How meaningful is that for you? It's crazy. It's really a full circle moment,

you know what I mean. Like even that show when I'm talking about at Brooklyn still, I surprised they're popping up. She didn't even tell her I was coming because I didn't want her to be nervous or whatever. So when I got there and seeing her performing then and I'm like, yoh, it's a diamond and the rough for sure. So then to go through all the years and now it was Madison Square Garden sold out, like nuts, What was it like last night? I was insane. It was absolutely crowd

like why did you how did you peep it? I watched from the from the suite right. Yeah, I'm gonna go down with the people though in the next couple of shows get the full effect of it. But I like to like look over the whole production and see, you know what I mean, well we put together I was being received by the people. The people was going crazy, like as soon as the lights dropped, it were nuts.

Spend ammonium. Let's speak in that reception. Man, number one album, I'm sure you want to achieve that, but like to have this ten weeks like yeah, I feel like in real time I see you on social it's like you're like, oh, Man, like seven weeks, eight weeks like yeah, like it blow, Like did anybody have that level of expectation and you allow yourself to have that? Or like you know, I mean I could be cool and say yeah, but I wouldn't.

I wouldn't be telling you the truth. Yeah, But I mean I had expectations for it to be very successful. I thought we would do a few weeks number one, but ten, that's that's crazy. And they see all of the like legendary albums that is passing in the process. It's crazy. It's getting mentioned. Beyonce and one of the accolades you broken and you had said that Feelingly Beyonce was one of the first people of Merit to reach out and work with her, right, absolutely, you speak on that.

That's with the Feeling Myself, right, Yeah, that was two thousand and fourteen. Um, you know they had called the Carter and the Right because Beyonce was working on the stuff or whatever. So she came into a bunch of songs, builded a bond with Beyonce and Jay and the whole thing, and Feeling Myself came out of that batch. So like I was a super dump experience. She look up to Beyonce. Of course. Yeah, you said, it's crazy that shirt is the number one on urban and rhythmic radio. Why are

you're surprised by that? I wasn't really surprised, kind of inside thing because I was. I was actually taking a shout at her because she didn't she didn't like Shirt being out first, and she blamed it on me. I hit number one on radio, Like, yeah, it seems like you know what you're talking about kind of, I would think, I like to think. So she's her biggest critic for sure. Yeah,

you know what I mean. So she's like honed in on everything that's going on with her process, her album dropping, with her songs out, and she felt like a shirt was the snippet had been out for too long, you know what I mean. Well, my thought thinking on it was all right, it's been out, let's just put that out, drop the video and then we'll go from there. Like it's not even the thing of your first your lead single, your this and that, Like it's a whole different ballgame.

And even kill Bill is doing well as well. Yeah that's crazy too, Like I knew what a goal, but I didn't know it's gonna go like that. I guess nuts. Like even when the when she played it at the in the garden, all these kids out there screaming it's killed by Yea. You even stepped it up with the visuals you have vox in the video. Yeah, yeah, for sure. She always been super visual though, Like she's hands on

with all of her music videos. So she's there with the directors like during the treatment process and everything given input, so pretty much most of them are co directed by her. But Punch, how do you do still wear a fandom? Because I saw somewhere it's like, you know, you know how fans are. She'll always be teasing a song, so she'll get the snippet outs and they want that record on the album too, Like I feel like a lot of times, you know, you can't please everybody, Like how

do you deal with that? With that? With the snippets, Like that's something that we have, we've been doing since we first started working together, and it will drop a song and then preview the next one just to get people excited for what's to come, you know what I mean. And that turned into like a whole thing to where like you know, it just builds up the anticipation so crazy now and we just continue with it. So even with the visuals, would drop a snippet of another song

with the video. All right, So when did the album feel complete? Um? Because it feels like y'all was sitting on it for a while though, right, Nay, it was changing stuff after a different mixes. Yeah, absolutely, small things we wouldn't catch so like fixing the plane while I was still in the end, absolutely, but not the way it happened was all right, So we dropped in CTRL in twenty seventeen. So twenty the end of twenty seventeen

she was torn. Twenty eighteen, she was touring and we did the Championship tour and we did, I mean a lot of festival runs. So she didn't officially start working on the next album until maybe the end of twenty nineteen, twenty twenty. Count we get the pandemic, everything shut down, So I would say she didn't get into a real groove until twenty twenty one. That makes sense, yeah, but it seemed like a like a longer thing. But we

don't count the pandemic years. She had went to Hawaii to record and she just hit a hit a groove out there, knocked out about seven eight songs like oh okay, this is where we're going now, we got it. What are your personal favorites on the album? It fluctuates, of course, but I still love the intro ss Yeah, because to me, that just set the tone for the rest of the record, you know what I mean. And it's to me is speaking to a lot of critics, a lot of different artists,

a lot of people in general. That's my thing. But now I set the tone for what the rest of the album is. What I mean then of course it is nobody gets Me? Is Gone Girl? Like so many different records. How do you feel like the album stacks against control? You know what I got out of comparing in that way, because it'll never be right like the time when she made control like what she ate when she was doing it here she was breathing, like what's going on in the light? Like all of that is different,

But I think the quality stands up for sure. Yeah, you know what I mean? I was she adjusting with the success because you know, you see like she sometimes she'll get into an artist's bag where she's kind of like doesn't want to show up and do this or whatever x y Z. Like now with all the attention and this new found like even more exposure, like growth, Like, how do you think she's adjusting to it? I think

she adjusted a lot better now. I think it's finally starting to sit in as to what's going on and who she is. Like for the longest, I don't feel she connected who Scissor is to Salana, But I think now she's finally starting to see it understand, like and that I think that really comes with a tour, mostly because you're actually seeing these live people, when you're seeing them respond to you and that energy exchange. So she said,

to live away a lot better now. Yeah, you've seen it from you know, infants from the jump from twenty twenty eleven. Like I mentioned, you met her at CMJ here in New York City, Um, and you were her songs that her friend was listening to. What were some of those songs that impressed you to want to do business with? Think? What I heard was, Um, it was a song bad. It was a song country that was on C Says a Run, which it was actually called C Sults a Run at that time when she changed

it the whole thing. But even back then, like I recognized the lyricism for one I heard it, I'm like, okay, I know what this is. It's kind of the stuff we do, Like yeah, makes sense. And then the melodies and all of this she come up with was insane. So I forgot your question. So that it's cool. But when you presented the music top was he easily impressed as well? Yeah, he liked he liked her voice right

away for sure. But the way I did it was like I wanted to get everybody else involved first before I let Todd hear it. So the first thing, I think Musa was the first person I let hear it. Then I let Dave hear some records, and I think died after that. So then when I went to top, he was like, yeah, it's hard. He was like, you let mosere it. Yeah, I let Moose here. What about Dave and dotting them? Yeah, they heard it too, they

like it too. And he was like, what about you've seen her perform yet I'm flying out to Brooklyn next week. She gotta show, so I'm gonna check it out then. So yeah, he was. He was on board from jump. You know, he wanted to know what everybody else's opinion was too. She was like a year long process. A couple of months that it happened. Uh maybe when a

month when we actually really decided to work together. Like I said, we met in two an eleven, Yeah, and we just kept in touch since then, like sending songs and giving my opinion and helping with her projects and all of that. So in twenty I think thirteen, we're just having a conversation. She's like, Yo, you should just manage me, right. I'm like, oh, yeah, that makes sense. I ain't consider it like that before because she she already had a situation management and all of that, so

I was just more on some consultant type stuff. When she said that it was a no brainer. It makes sense because that's when I met her at south By Southwest twenty thirteen, when you guys at the house ye did the photo shoot for respect Good. Yeah, she was at the shoot. Yeah, she was. That's crazy. She was sitting by the lake all by herself, and I was like, she was that girl. He was like, I don't know.

We talked to him. That's funny we speaking of how crazy is like about that's the Black Kippie days and you think TV's lyrical spit of rappers now like your flagship artists, your top artist is on B singer. What's that adjustment? Like, I think it's I think it's natural, you know what I mean, because she she's been building at the same time with everybody else. Yeah, I mean, so it's not really much of a difference at this point. Like when she first came on, Yeah, it was super different. Yeah,

I mean dealing with a female artist. But now it's like it's just a natural progression. Speaking of progression, like you are the president of TV also almost like A and RG like everything for man, Like what are you like day to day rolls as the president of the label? Man? It varies day to day. Really, there's no one like we wasn't built on the corporate structure. Ful things should go like we get up and see what needs to be done, and we're doing it. It don't matter what

it is. Everybody, Like I always tell the story. It was one show Jay Rock had Top was recording the show. I was in the back working merch. Dave was DJ hand handing out posters. At the same time, It's like, we just do it whatever it needs to be done, you know what I mean, We get it done. I mean we got a lot more structure now. And it was like, because we've been doing it, we know what to expect. But I don't know. My whole thing is I'm I'm in the studio, you know what I'm saying, Well,

that's my biggest contribution to the whole thing. Like I'm listening to records and giving advice and input and finding producers and the whole nine. So let's say my responsibility is more of creative even though I do all the business stuff too, but creative things my thing. Man. It's like it's still hands on even before you came in and was like yo this, but even having assystem at this point, it's like he gets his own course. Yeah, definitely,

but it's um. You know, we're so much bigger now though I can't be hands on with every single artist how it was. So that's the That's one of the major changes as we as we grew, so we have a lot more people doing more things other than trying to murder the money. On one of the tracks, would you involve me with an appolo Herbert album? It was the same thing. It's kind of um going back and forth with them on records getting that whole thing out now.

He was he was specific in this. He wanted to um, he wanted more input than usual, you know what I mean, because he was feeling like, all right, I normally don't take advice when I'm doing this thing. That's what I've been doing, so now I want everybody's input, you know what I mean. I'm I'm releasing Relinqua and all power so that's kind of what that gave him, like some real yeah, constructive criticism of the time, and then he

kind of pivoted and made some champions. Nah, definitely, yeah, he uh, he just wanted to input up the team. You know what I'm saying, the whole machine. You wouldn't absolutely be making good music together. Man. Yeah, it's my gosh, clash at the Titans. You guys have to do a record anytime. Yeah, that's something he said, like from this first project, and he did. He was like, yeah, I'm

gonna put you on every project I ever do. So that's that's intentional and no purpose is that the good Man was out of session together Like what Nah, It's funny is he um, he has sent me the record maybe six months before I actually did it. Like he sent it and lesten to him like all right, cool, I'm gonna do it. Six months later, one day he was in the studio, He's like, yo, I need you. You're gonna do the record. I'm like re sending to him,

and he sent it. I wrote it in like probably like fifteen minutes literally and went in recorded and sent it back. So that's how that whole process was. Yeah, that one line you said, Jay doesn't Jay told you why I bothered with peasants about jay Z? What do you even? What did you mean by that? I hate him? One time there was some some rappers who I said some stuff and I hit him like, yo, what you think it is? And that it was his response. I'm not gonna say who it was, but his whole thing

was like I waste your time. I don't worry about it. I may keep pushing. Y'all got something greater going. So how do you feel like when people complain online that say TV doesn't release enough music as some of you guys's peers, or you know, the output isn't as frequent as other labels. What are your thoughts on that? Basic economics to me? You know what I mean, if you if you flood the market, it's gonna be oversaturated. It's not gonna be a special when it happens. Our thing

is is always quality over quantity. I mean, if you make a quality product, people are gonna keep coming back to it. Like that's just human beings in general. Like it might seem like you got something going, some momentum going when you're constantly constantly dropping, but you're wearing yourself thin. People gonna get tired of that and it's gonna be over. So that's why our thing is always you know, quality of a quantity or disrespect anybody to do it that way.

So that almost seems like an old school model in this day and age, right, because streaming kind of makes you feel like you're supposed to just constantly flood it out, refresh refreshment. Here it is it is. It a tough standard. Stay that way. The whole team is kind of always aligned it. We gotta keep doing it the way we've We've done it. You gotta you gotta stay strong. I remember hearing a Jay Z interview a while ago when he was talking about that, say, he's not under nobody's timeline.

Oh you're rush rushing this process process. Yeah, so it makes perfect sense to me. But I understand the pressure though, when it feels like you gotta put something out and put something out because everything's moving so fast. But if it's quality and timeless, the stays. But even though like the business hash change, you know, since you guys first into Yeah, definitely, but like you still don't feel like the need to like I'm not doing because you ain't

getting schoolboy, John saw me he's in. I saw Jay Rocks in the studio. Yeah, everybody working. But the thing though with that is people don't really change that much. How we get things changed, for sure, but who we are are emotions or feelings, the whole thing, and we still people. It's still gonna remain the same. Yeah, fair enough. But I know Jay Rock is in the studio as well, right, absolutely, yeah,

he finishing up his uh his project right now we speak. Okay, it's cool boy, qu Yeah he said we let the rapper? What was the like, am I putting? Letting the rappers in? He wants his credit? Man getting punch talk on that what he's saying that? Yeah, that's right. Qu's a golfer now, man, is he still right? Can you beat him in golf? Punch me? No, I'll never golf to damn my life. You know. As a part of him, just evolving as a person, you know what I mean, like discovering new

things that he's into and passionate about. He's just growing. Yeah, you know what I mean. You're growing too, man, expanding your your talents. You have a room full of mirrors. Absolutely, talk about your collective Why aren't those Why isn't that a t D act. Well, it's tough because I'm I'm tde right, you know, I mean, I'm a part of the collective. So yeah, you know what I mean. It's it's not a it's not a rush, you know what

I mean. But the collective is um, it's myself, it's um Daylight, Itchy Bond down a k Willie b It's an early Riser and lyric Michelle Na Nicka is not actually a part of it no more. Yeah, it kicked him out the group or so the rap battle went wrong. No, I think it was just um, we'll say creative differences. I mean, he got it, you know, his own thing. Whatever it is he into it was on you when it was one thing it was something about Scissor was a delay that you dropped the record. It was just

like it was all your handling Scots rapping. That's white a little Scissor album yet, man, Jesus Chrish Sorry go though, when when when it's in high demand? But but down the room flamerors thing like that's like my passion project. Feel good to be able to have a creative outlet and platform like that. We could just make records, and you know, everybody's in the film and directing and acting the whole thing, so it's like a whole creative space.

You're gonna create another project. Absolutely, Yeah. We got a bunch of records now, like we've been working since the top of the year, went back in and plus everybody's individual projects too. Speaking of which, Punch Electronica, we have a guy so so out man a hard drive somewhere. Man, where's the album? It's tough when you don't have a deadline. Oh man. You got to listen to Secial like three years ago. Man, Man, it was funny. I was just looking at the pictures and the videos from that from

that time. But now I'm um, I'm definitely gonna put it out for sure. But like I said, it's it's difficult when you really don't have a deadline when you got to create it for yourself, plus you got the responsibility of all these other artists as well. It's like I could be all right, I'm gonna put my minds out now, then something to come up on somebody else, then my focus on shift to that, right, And I'm predicting twelve to fourteen songs might be more now twenty two.

It was at fifteen. Last time I looked at it. I remember he did a whole session. You had a whole list of this session. It was good music. Too many to remember. That's funny. So at that point you thought about putting it out. Yeah, I was about to drop it then, but I was gonna wait to um to twenty twenty to do it then. Literally in March, everything shut down, does it? Probably even people kind of criticize you for rapping when you're still like an executive,

not at all, nothing bother done at all. Always keep it in perspective as to what things really are, you know what I mean, where we come from, things we survived and went through. Like we talk about music, right, Like that's that'll never changed in my perspective. So you can you can go at me all day long at on the Twitter. Yeah, that's cool. I love talking on Twitter because you don't think I have a lot of perspectives. Like you said something one time about um, when did

the music or the personalities dominate the music? Something like that. Yeah, because you see that a lot now, like everybody is um it is almost influences. I mean a lot of the artists like, yeah, you can get Brandon Deals and the whole thing just off of your social media following and the music been taken a back seat. Me. So I was like, I'm just curious when did this happened? Like, because I love music, like that's my thing, but now

it's just about who got the most followers. But it's got to feel rewarding with Scissor because I think you else said about like, you know, there's a lack of superstars right or in this thing, but not to see her kind of ascending right like, it's clearly a successfully of somebody's career ascending in front of us, and that was definitely rewarding, you know what I mean, her success and then to through this arena tour, like to me, I think that solidified her as one of those artists

for sure. Has the superstar changed? Yeah, because I think the appeal of the superstar was you couldn't get close to him at first, you know, I mean, it was a lot of mystery there, and then you will see him in certain spots. Now everybody is everywhere because of how we feel we have to do social media. But you know what I mean, but beyond a superstar thing like just the artists maintaining his mystery. It's super important.

It's about the quality of control. If you look at somebody like Frank Ocean, you don't never see him nowhere, but his name is held in high regard because of that product he put out and then he go away. You know, I mean, you need time to to miss the artist. Now. Everybody is so feel touchable and regular, so like in regards this says of being an R and B artist, Like we don't have too many R and B superstars anymore. Like why do you think she's

been able to separate herself from the pack? I think it's the honesty in her music first, you know what I mean, if you roll with your emotions and you're saying things that people can relate to and feel like, that's gonna take you a long way. I think a lot of people was missing that to start, what I mean. And then does she made great music on top of that? It just sounds good, it feel good, you know what I mean. Anna caters to whatever emotion you might be

going through. So I think that's really what separates her. She's not trying to do nobody else, you know what I mean. If you look like it's who do you compare with before her? You know what I mean? Not saying that, you know, she's the originator of a certain thing, but it's very distinctive from a lot of artists. Yeah, but then you guys also have another young lady on the label. Now, don't she absolutely Florida? Yeah? Like what was so attractive about her that maybe want to do

business with? What I was that came through most of the must about her and when he played me the records, like the talent was undeniable, you know what I mean, she threw it all. She rapped saying to the dance thing, big production, like she's super talented. There's no limits on where she can go. Yeah, Barack Obama's tapped in. You think Obama coming up with that? No water believes that Obama listens the music. They think it's the daughters. I'll

take that they got taste. So at this point, what what makes you want to, you know, do business with a new artist? Like, are you guys still actively looking for new talent? I never actively looked. I let it come to me, you know what I mean, Like I never just said I'm gonna find this new artist. But I'll be looking around just in general and something might just pop out, you know what I'm saying. But I gotta think. Literally, I've only signed says wow wow really

ain't like me personally personally. Yeah, And after that, the next thing was the Room Full of Mares. Wow. So it shows y'all how picky I am. It's crazy because she feels like a veteran. But like you told me, this is only her sophomore album, literally her second major album. Yeah, it's still selling there. That's what's crazy. It's nuts. But you also, I mean outside of music and twenty eighteen, you guys started doing TV sports, right he started still

doing that or uh you know what? That's the top question? Good top on the phone? Yeah, he tell you about that, uh, in more detail than I could because I never I never really got involved with that. Like when he was starting to do that. I was so deep into the

music stuff. Would you guys ever sign someone outside of the R and B or hip hop space like TD rock or K pop or absolutely we might got something to cutting their har shit, spill the beans punch, but yeah no, it's no. Um, we're not keeping it just to that like whatever sounds good, whatever, feels good. Yeah, I mean, we'll definitely explore Kendrew lamar man. It's no longer on the label lane, right, young kid flying, your kick flying. What do you think about the success that

he's made, you know, stepping on on his own. I think it's amazing, you know what I mean, to to watch somebody as a kid, like as a sixteen seventeen year old kid coming to the studio and developed to where he is now and venturing out and being his own business man. I think it's that's what it's all about. Did you see that in him in day three early on? Yeah, for sure, because they have ideas, you know what I mean, and what the idea is. All you gotta do is

execute on those ideas. So like Kendrick is a kid who's mind never stopped working, So yeah, of course I've seen that for them way early on. What did you think of mister Morales? Like? I had a very like polarizing,

you know reaction. That's a tough album. It's tough because I feel like you have to be going through those things that he's talking about because it's so specific to fill it to his max, you know what I mean, Like, if you there in that vibe, in that mind state, then yeah, you're gonna love it, you know what I'm saying. But if you're in another place, then you might not frequented as much. But I think it was just, um, I think that was the album that he won it

to do you know what I mean? For himself? Yeah, so I call it a selfish album because it's really about his feelings, his inner thoughts, like specifically for him. I mean other albums spoke for people in general, but this one, to me, was for him. Yea, how do you look specifically? You know what Curious Duty is? Like

how much involvement you had with his album? So I know section eighty you listened as executive producer, Like yeah, you know from Good Kid on, Like, can you speak on how you view those albums and what was your involvement throughout that sort of his growth involvement was It's always been the same up until up until mister Morale. Really, you know what I mean. I come in, We constantly talking about the record, how we want the record to sound,

to everything about the whole thing. Like let's give you an example, like on the Pepper Butterfly, you know the skit at the end when he read and pot the poem whatever, like I wrote that. So the reason I wrote it was because he was lost in the album at this point and he was like, yeoh, could you write something for me to sum everything up and man of the album. So that's what I wrote. He ended up using it on the thing. So that's what my involvement has been overall view of the project. Was it

crazy to like hear it? To hear this album like without you involved with it for the first time, it was wild? To fan it was crazy. It was a different experience for sure. How did you do Did you set up a studio somewhere? Did you think it? Like? We asked when it dropped? Um, because you know, I could have went by the studio numerous times, but I decided, like, all right, I'm gonna just sit back. So we we was in the studio when the drop just cut it

owns just played it topped the bottom. We're surprised by any of the stories that he told on the prob Jack, No, I'm not surprised, but um, I don't know. I like, I liked it initially when when I first heard it, you know what I mean, I got it. It made sense to me where he was going like it was full out therapy for him. How do you feel like that stacks up against all the previous projects? You know, there's different spaces, you know what I mean, different time.

I always described it as a good Kid was a classic pepper Butterfly, it was a masterpiece, and Damn was a blockbuster. I think it's a Politzer. I don't know. It's so they're all so different to me that you can't really compare them, you know what I mean, So I don't I don't even put that thought into it.

What's your memories of making Damn? I feel like Damn was the record where it's like because it was to me, it was always a little murmuring like, well, Kenji, don't make something you could really play in the club, Humble or whatever type record, and then like he kind of shut everybody off. Was that kind of the intenseolutely want the anthems and that was the whole point. So then you got, um, I mean loyalty, you got uh, what's doing that's doing? That went Diamonded went down, Yeah, Humble,

you know what I mean? All those are like anthem type. Yeah, that was the mindset though them to really make anthems that everybody could really sing along too. Do you feel like even for the newer artists that they have to live up to the expectation of like Kendrick and Sizzle, or you just feel like they have to pressure. I personally don't feel like they do. But I don't mean that they don't feel that pressure, you know what I mean? Like I think it's it's just naturally set based on

everything that happened and what we've done. So I mean, I never hold an artist to somebody else's standards because they completely different. People Like I just try to figure out where they want to go and help them get to that spot, right, I mean, because if sisters doing MSG and you know someone else is doing a you know, three hundred capacity space, Yeah, it is what it is.

That's the cry, right, That's the whole process right there. Yeah, But you say that that's also what you love even with Full of Merry, Like you love that process of kind of just building it absolutely on the top, Like why is that sophere warring to you? That feeling of like building something from it because there's so much discovery, you know what I mean, Like it's that teaching part where somebody didn't know something at all and then it's clicking to him like, oh, this is how you do this.

This is like I just love that feeling. That exchange to me is the whole thing. It's like usually sometimes when artists get to a certain point, it's like, I mean, you know what to do. You coached, so you know, get it done right. Like even like when you talk about Kendrick and in the last album, it's like it was nothing I could really provide to him at that point in making an album. It's like a made guy. Yeah, absolutely, Like you know what it is like. So you was

at the Grammys two in your black teeth. Yeah absolutely, no button up, no button up, but you're never gonnaee punch of the dressing up going to these people establishment going as me. Yeah. So yeah, so you took that picture with Jay and Dave Free and Kennedy. That was really dope seeing you guys collective because people think on the internet that you guys, yeah it's an issue, it's an issue or something. Yeah, you're gonna have that though,

because that's usually how it goes. And if people, you know, finish their business and move on to different things, that people automatically feel it's a problem. But that's family. Yeah, you know what I mean. It's family. It's never it's never an issue for somebody to go out and try to build their own thing. Never. Yeah, So the family staying tight, man, absolutely. How many new CD acts do we have? Another? Looking? What's the guy Vaughan? What's his name?

You got new music from Start coming on the way? Yeah, yeah, Start coming to Chasing Summer Man. You like that one? That was a classic. Yeah, I love that album too. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody is cooking though, man, and it is right there, like almost done. I think Q might be done. Don't quote me on it, though. So we got new music from absol Array in the cooker out right now, Jay Rocks coming soon, Yeah, Ray Vaughn, Sir, missing anybody else?

Reason cooking, Reason cooking? Uh, Lance just dropped something. So everybody is in a great space and working. How's Izaya Rashard? You know, you know we had that. I don't want know what to call it, invasion of privacy that happened in a while ago. Is he in a good space though? I think it's tough, you know what I mean when when something like that happens like you're always gonna have

to figure out how to deal with it. But he definitely has his high moments, and he has his moments when he's not, you know what I mean, really feeling it. So as of now though, I think he in a great space. He on tour, okay, I think it was very dope the way you know, stood up for him and backed him, and you know, yeah, from the controversy hit to whatever. It's like, I feel like, you know,

as family, you know what I mean. I'm saying, whatever people do with a personal business is a personal business. I don't you know, I don't. I don't have no bearing on on what we're doing. Still business as usual? Yeah, absolutely, Are we going to get anymore tde Christmases and nickoson gardens? I think we're gonna do it this year. It's been tough for COVID, okay, you know what I mean, Like even last year it was certain restrictions that they wanted on it that we didn't feel like, you know, it's

the right time to do it again. But I think it's, Uh, it's wide open down, so you're gonna come out the way come. I'm scared you're on the West no excuse now, right to come out there. I've never been to watch too, so I gotta come through. You should come, Yeah, Rihanna there once punch of time. Yeah, Rihanna, you'll be staying good. Right. Yeah, you got Zach Raindolph getting the rest of the outside

I didn't. Zach got the rest of the walk story. Hey, Man, don't come, and then one day Punch will get sis on the program. Right, I'm saying, I know my wife gets all the interviews, Damn Smith. He like, how's it feel losing the interviews to your wife? Oh Man? Typical punt? Absolutely day Now I'm gonna try to get her on there man with no interviews, not really her thing like that. Absolutely. So what do you think of the Times piece? Did you? Did you read it? Time? Yeah? I thought it was good.

I liked it a lot. Yeah, Dann did a great job. Yeah, thank sure. Absolutely we would do a good job too if we ever get them, think we will as well. But the meantime we gotta go to MSG. Man you're ready, get your tickets out, We're going tonight, Going tonight, man Punch his house this interview there o, Man, you tell us see when he comes to New York. He wants the party, wants to go everywhere. So I guess you know you used to call Kendrick Lamar King of New York.

Absolutely does that mean that since the Queen of New York right there for sure? Thank you, punch Man. Good to see my brother Sir. Likewise, appreciate you guys man anytime. Yeah.

Rapper Up podcast rappertor Is The Interval presents original production from Hyperhouse, produced by Laura Wasser, Hosts and producers Elliott Wilson and Brian b Doc Miller Hermittiful Presents executive producers Alan Coy and Jake Kleinberg, Executive producer Paul Rosenberg, editing his sound design by Dylan Alexander Freeman, recording engineer Mike Urban, visual director Josh Perez, Operations lead Sarah You, business development

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