Thundercat

Thundercat is Stephen Bruner, a bassist and singer from Los Angeles who grew up around music. His father was a jazz saxophonist and his mother sang gospel, which gave him an early feel for jazz, soul, and R&B. He started playing bass as a teenager and developed a style that's both technically flashy and melodically fluid.

In 2009 he joined Kendrick Lamar's band, contributing bass lines to albums like 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' and 'To Pimp a Butterfly.' That work helped shape his own solo material, which began with the 2011 EP 'The Golden Age of Apocalypse.' His records mix jazz harmony with hip-hop rhythms and soul singing, often landing somewhere between introspection and playfulness. Songs like 'Them Changes' and 'Dragonball Durag' show his knack for wrapping vulnerable or quirky lyrics around intricate bass grooves.

He's released several albums, including 'Drunk' in 2017 and 'It Is What It Is' in 2020. In 2017 he also spoke publicly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, framing it as part of his experience rather than a dramatic setback. His playing remains his calling card, a busy, melodic approach that feels both virtuosic and conversational.