Steve Lacy Didn’t Rush SZA & Got Her Verse Before Turning The Song In

Steve Lacy said he did not rush SZA for a verse. It arrived as he was about to turn their song in.

The singer shared the story in an October 21 clip from “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

“I wanted this verse, but I waited. I didn’t want to force it,” he said.

Lacy said they’d known each other for a couple of years. A mutual friend connected them. He described bringing a laptop and instruments to see what she needed.

While SZA wrote to his beats, he offered pointers and reminded her about his own song. He considered writing the part himself rather than pushing her.

The song “Is It Cool?” appears on Lacy’s third album, “Oh Yeah?”. RCA Records released the 10-track project on July 17. Its guests also include Erykah Badu and Cecile Believe.

Lacy said writing can mean waiting for inspiration, with lyrics taking longer to find than sounds on an instrument.

Lacy had described another wait for a collaborator in a 2023 Guitar World interview. The story concerned the making of “Pride,” which he co-wrote and co-produced for Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 album.

Lacy said DJ Dahi had invited him into the sessions, where Dahi played drum loops and he added basslines or guitar riffs. When he got a moment alone with Kendrick, he played a song he had started with Anna Wise. He had taken their acoustic version home and put a beat behind it.

Kendrick liked it, but Lacy said he left the song with him without pressing for an answer. He was in London when a leaked tracklist finally showed his name in the credits. Until then, he had not expected Kendrick to use it.

The same interview laid out what Lacy valued in a session: making people comfortable, reading the room and finding a creative fit. He said being willing to offer an idea, even an unusual one, mattered alongside the ability to play. His goal was to keep the exchange moving while giving everyone room to contribute.

His “Oh Yeah? Tour” is next scheduled to stop in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 22.