SZA she is not an artist who regularly engages in controversy, but when challenged, she fights back. This was the situation last summer, when the ardent rapper Nicki Minaj publicly accused SZA's manager, Terrence “Punch” Henderson of TDE.bullying her. SZA responded noncommittally, but then the situation escalated into something that was too complex to quickly summarize.
SZA spoke about the exchange in the latest GQ.
“I don’t know her,” SZA said of Minaj. “We have no connection to each other. No backstory. So there was no overarching narrative. It was like 'Roc Nation'… I don't know where it came from. It's not even my place to correct a narrative that I have nothing to do with. It was a little weird. It was a lot like, 'Why?' But also, you know, 'I think.'”
This isn't the only controversy she's been embroiled in: Over the past year, she's worked extensively with Kendrick Lamar, who is also run by Top Dawg Entertainment, and has found herself receiving collateral criticism due to Lamar's ongoing high-profile feud with Drake (which is even more complicated than the feud with Minaj). SZA was quick to say that she is friends with both artists and called the situation “unfortunate.”
“It was something between two grown men, so why would I put myself between something between two grown men, you know?” she said. “And I think everyone felt that way—except for people who didn't feel that way. I didn't really have any interest as such. Obviously, I love Kendrick. I'm signed to TDE. That's my family. Obviously, I've known Drake for so long and we have a great relationship. And obviously, it's always unfortunate when something bad happens.”
