Thundercat

About

Also known as: Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, Stephen Bruner, Stephen Lee Bruner, Steve Bruner, サンダーキャット, 雷猫

Few bassists blend jazz chops, psychedelic funk and internet absurdism as naturally as Thundercat. The Los Angeles native built an early reputation as a member of crossover thrash outfit Suicidal Tendencies before pivoting toward the soul, jazz fusion and progressive R&B that now define his sound. His close working relationship with producer Flying Lotus, who encouraged him to start singing and making solo records, proved pivotal. That creative circle extended to Kendrick Lamar's landmark 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, on which Thundercat was a key contributor, landing him a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance for the track "These Walls". His 2017 album Drunk was a hazy, wide ranging statement that brought Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald along for the ride. It Is What It Is followed in 2020, dedicated to his friend Mac Miller, and won the Grammy for Best Progressive R&B Album. Singles like "Dragonball Durag" and "Black Qualls" showed his knack for wrapping genuinely melancholy feeling inside playful, off kilter grooves. Most recently he teamed up with Tame Impala's Kevin Parker on the 2023 single "No More Lies". Rolling Stone counts him among the greatest bass players of all time.