"Integrity" — Punch weighs in on fan question about why Kendrick Lamar decided to not include ‘Not Like Us’ on ‘GNX’

President of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Terence Henderson, aka Punch, seems to have a theory about why Kendrick Lamar did not include his Grammy-winning song, Not Like Us, in his sixth studio album, GNX, released in November 2024. On February 4, 2025, an X user (@prezidentyoung) tagged Punch in a post and asked:

“Hey @iamstillpunch do you have some education for us as to why Dot didnt include the mega smash on the album?”

Henderson then replied saying the reason was integrity. He wrote:

“Integrity. That record was for the battle. The album was a separate thing. Could have put it on there to boost overall sales but choose to leave it for what it was. Integrity.”

Another X user (@nottween) asked if Kendrick Lamar was invested in his sixth album before his beef with Drake began. Punch did not answer the question directly but replied:

“Lol. That’s all I got champ. He can speak on that if he ever choose too.”

Kendrick Lamar won five Grammy awards for his hit single Not Like Us. The diss track earned him awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.

The song reached one billion listens on Spotify and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It remained in the top spot for two consecutive weeks and held the position for 21 weeks leading up to the awards.

After winning Record of the Year, Kendrick Lamar received a standing ovation as the audience sang along to his track while he walked to the stage. In his speech, he thanked Los Angeles and dedicated his win to the city where he grew up.

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Punch said he cared ‘genuinely’ for Kendrick Lamar

During an interview with MATH HOFFA in September 2022, Henderson reflected on how he felt about Lamar leaving TDE. He said he cared for the rapper genuinely but he knew at one point, he had to let go of him.

Punch added that he was proud of Kendrick Lamar and would be there for him if he ever needed his help. He said:

“But using the analogy of like if you got kids, at some point, they got to go outside. You know what I mean? You can’t walk with them everywhere they go. They got to go out and their gather their own experiences and even if they fall on their head, they got to fall in the head, get up and learn from that and keep moving.”

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According to Billboard, when Kendrick Lamar dropped his compilation album, Untitled Unmastered, in 2016, Punch described Lamar’s approach to music as a reflection of creative freedom. The compilation album blended his aggressive and spiritual sides, creating a complex musical experience.

He pointed out that Lamar’s first album sounded completely different from his second proving that he wasn't confined to a specific style. Unlike many artists who stick to a particular sound, Lamar had the flexibility to experiment, releasing songs from To Pimp a Butterfly alongside performances on late-night shows.