Thundercat (musician)

Thundercat

Thundercat
Background information
Birth name Stephen Bruner
Born (1984-10-19) October 19, 1984
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres R&B, jazz fusion, electronic, psychedelic, funk, indie, thrash
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Bass, vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active 2002–present
Labels Brainfeeder
Associated acts Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Erykah Badu, Shabazz Palaces, Noname Gypsy, SZA, Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Kirk Knight, Mac Miller
Website brainfeedersite.com

Stephen Bruner (born October 19, 1984),[1] better known by his stage name Thundercat, is an American multi-genre bass player, producer and singer from Los Angeles, California. He has released three solo albums, and is most noted for his work with producer Flying Lotus, and crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies. Thundercat appeared on Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly.[2] Thundercat won a Grammy in 2016 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for his work on the track "These Walls" from To Pimp a Butterfly.

Music career

Born into a family of musicians, Bruner began playing the bass at an early age: by 15 he had a minor hit in Germany as a member of the boy band No Curfew. A year later he joined his brother Ronald Jr. as a member of the Los Angeles metal band Suicidal Tendencies, replacing former bass player Josh Paul.

Along with his band duties Bruner is also a session musician, acclaimed for his work on Erykah Badu's New Amerykah (2008) and Flying Lotus' Cosmogramma (2010). He released his first solo album in 2011, The Golden Age of Apocalypse, which featured production from Flying Lotus, and was influenced by 1970s fusion artists such as Stanley Clarke and George Duke. The next two years saw a return to the recording studio with fellow Brainfeeder artist Flying Lotus, with contributions to the Lotus's Until the Quiet Comes (2012) and You're Dead! (2014), and the release of Thundercat's second album Apocalypse (2013).[3]

Bruner has been described as being a major contributor to and "at the creative epicenter" of Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly.[4]

In 2016, Bruner revealed to XXL that he working on a new album with Flying Lotus as a main contributor.

Discography

Solo albums

with Kendrick Lamar

with Kamasi Washington

with Flying Lotus

with Kirk Knight

with Taylor McFerrin

with Erykah Badu

with Kimbra

with Childish Gambino

with Sa-Ra Creative Partners

with Suicidal Tendencies

with Keziah Jones

with Bilal

with Young Jazz Giants

References

  1. ↑ "The Birth of Stephen Bruner". California Birth Index, 1905 - 1995. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Rising: Thundercat | Features". Pitchfork. 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  3. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "Apocalypse - Thundercat : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  4. ↑ Weiss, Jeff. "Meet Thundercat, the Jazz-Fusion Genius Behind Kendrick Lamar's 'Butterfly'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
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