First Ladies of Hip-Hop: SZA, New Music, and TDE

Solána Imani Rowe, aka SZA, is the beautiful songstress and first lady of the record label, Top Dawg Entertainment(TDE).

At the age of 24, the female artist signed to TDE, and would go on making music that mixes elements of heavy trap production, with spritely, gentle overtones. After dropping her two EPs ‘See.SZA.Run‘ and ‘S’, she ends up calling her sound ‘glitter-trap.’ She’s influenced by hip-hop greats like the Wu-Tang Clan; as well as more soulful elements of urban music, including her hometown hero, Lauryn Hill.

Furthermore, SZA’s rise to fame has been a rather rapid one.

With all the praise that she’s accumulated her music output has been slow over the past few years. TDE is known for signing artists Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy-Q and despite having SZA as their first lady signee at TDE, they still have issues with their artist.

SZA And Her Dilemma With TDE

For about four years, SZA has yet released new music.

The delay is seemingly due to the hostile atmosphere surrounding her relationship with her label and its president Terrence Louis Henderson Jr., better known as Punch. After months of hinting at the release of a proper debut titled A, the album’s no-show cause the R&B singer to get frustrated with Punch and the Label.

 

Before releasing her last album, Ctrl, back in 2017, SZA claimed to be quitting music. Additionally, Ctrl, seemed to only be released after the label took her music without her greenlighting the project. “They just took my hard drive from me. That was all,” she says in an interview.

The irony in the release of Ctrl is behind the title. During an interview with The Breakfast Club, the singer shares the meaning behind her album name.

“Ctrl is a concept. I’ve lacked control my whole life and I think I’ve craved it my whole life. I couldn’t really arrive at it and now, I’m not really looking to arrive at it anymore,” she says.

SZA’s New Music

Currently, SZA has been dropping music more frequently now; so it doesn’t look like she actually quit making music. Last year, she dropped her collab with Ty Dolla Sign, ‘Hit Different.’ Additionally, just last week, the songstress dropped the music video for ‘Good Days‘, where she also teases another song.

However, SZA’s new music is still being released under TDE. There hasn’t been any clarification on the hostile environment within TDE either. Nonetheless, everyone is anxiously waiting for the first lady to drop more and more.