Thundercat Biography
Thundercat born Stephen Lee Bruner , is an American multi-genre bass guitarist, record producer, singer and songwriter hailing from Los Angeles, California. The record producer is also a Grammy Award winner; coming to prominence as a member of the band Suicidal Tendencies.
Thundercat has since released four solo studio albums most notably for his work with producer Flying Lotus and his appearance on Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed 2015 album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. Thundercat won a Grammy in 2006 for Best Rap/Sung Performance for his work on the track “These Walls” from Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly.’
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 punk 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).
Thundercat Age| Birthday
Thundercat was born on October 19, 1984 in Los Angeles, California, U.S. and is 34 years old in 2018.
Thundercat Family
Born into a family of musicians, Thundercat 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 punk band Suicidal Tendencies, replacing their former bass player Josh Paul. His brother is a Grammy award-winning jazz drummer, composer and producer.
Thundercat The Golden Age of Apocalypse | Flying Lotus
He released his first solo album in 2011 titled, The Golden Age of Apocalypse, which featured production from Flying Lotus, and was influenced by 1970s fusion artists such as George Duke and Stanley Clarke The album .is the bassist’s debut studio album and was released by Brainfeeder in 2011. 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). In 2016, he revealed to XXL that he is working on a new album with Flying Lotus as a main contributor.
Thundercat Apocalypse
Apocalypse is the second studio album by the bassist and record producer. The album was released in July 2013 under the label imprint Brainfeeder. Thundercat released a double video on the MySpace website in February 2014 for the 10th and 11th tracks from the album, respectively titled “Evangelion” and “We’ll Die”, which were both directed by the photographer B+ (Brian Cross), who also had major contributions on the album art.
Thundercat To Pimp a Butterfly
Thundercat has been acknowledged as being a major contributor to Kendrick’s album being termed as one of the main creative minds associated with Lamar’s critically acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly. Thundercat featured in the songs” Complexion (A Zulu Love)”, “Hood Politics” and “These Walls” (featuring Bilal and Anna Wise). Precisely, he provided background vocals for tracks 7, 12, 14; bass for tracks 3, 13, 15, 16; additional bass on track 5; producer on tracks 10, 12 and additional production on track 1.
Thundercat Influences
Along with the involvements with previous artists, Thundercat draws inspiration from jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Mary Lou Williams and Ron Carter. Through this, he is frequently able to renew elements from old soul, funk, and jazz albums. Known as “digging in the crates”, this method is best used to bring the sound, feel and emotion he wants to convey in his music. An example of this can be heard on his EP released in 2015 titled The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam. The most popular track on this EP titled Them Changes, also shares this creative renewal element. Them Changes contains a drum sample from the 1977 track “Footsteps in the Dark” by the Isley Brothers, the same sample used in Ice Cube’s It Was A Good Day.
Thundercat Networth
People With Money reports on Monday (March 25) that Thundercat is the highest-paid musician in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between February 2018 and February 2019, a nearly $20 million lead over his closest competition.
Thundercat Red Hot Chili Peppers
In May 2016, Thundercat appeared live with Red Hot Chili Peppers to play additional bass on their song “Go Robot” at iHeartRadio’s release party for the band’s 2016 album The Getaway.
Thundercat Drunk
In June 2017, Thundercat appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote his studio album Drunk with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Drunk is the third studio album by the bassist. The album was released on February 24, 2017 by Brainfeeder and features guest appearances from Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Pharrell. The album was his first studio album in nearly four years which was received with positive reviews from music critics.
Thundercat Ibanez Bass Guitar| Signature Bass
Thundercat is one of music’s most original and creative songwriters, as well as one of the most talented bass players in the world today. Ibanez and Thundercat Launched the TCB1006 6-String Bass in late 2017. His Signature hollow body TCB1006 6-string bass facilitates his fantastic multi-genre playing with its EMG 45HZ pickups, Graphtech Ghost piezo system, Acousti-Phonic and Hexpander preamp and MIDI output. The Thundercat features a quilted maple top and curly maple back and sides.
Thundercat Ibanez Guitar
Thundercat Merch
Click Here to check out and purchase the Grammy Award bassist merchandise.
Thundercat Tours| Live
Click here to view the full list of live shows and concerts by Thundercat
Thundercat Music
Along with his band duties Thundercat is also a session musician, acclaimed for his work on Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah (2008) and Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma (2010); the third studio album by American music producer Steven Ellison as Flying Lotus, released by Warp Records on May 3, 2010.
Thundercat EPs | Collaborations
- The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam (2015)
With Young Jazz Giants
- Young Jazz Giants (2004)
With Sa-Ra Creative Partners
- The Hollywood Recordings (2007)
- Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love (2009)
With Keziah Jones
- Nigerian Wood (2008)
With Erykah Badu
- New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008)
- New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) (2010)
With Bilal
- Airtight’s Revenge (2010)
With Flying Lotus
- Cosmogramma (2010)
- Pattern+Grid World (2010)
- Until the Quiet Comes (2012)
- Ideas+drafts+loops (2013)
- You’re Dead! (2014)
With Childish Gambino
- Because the Internet (2013)
With Kimbra
- The Golden Echo (2014)
With Taylor McFerrin
- Early Riser (2014)
With Jhene Aiko
- ’’Souled Out (Jhené Aiko album)’’ (2014)
With Ty Dolla Sign
- Free TC (2015)
With Kirk Knight
- Late Knight Special (2015)
With Kendrick Lamar
- To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
- Untitled Unmastered (2016)
- Damn (2017)
With Kamasi Washington
- Live at 5th Street Dick’s (2005)
- The Epic (2015)
- Harmony of Difference (2017)
- Heaven and Earth (2018)
With Mac Miller
- Live From Space (2013)
- Faces (2014)
- GO:OD AM (2015)
- Swimming (2018)
With Vic Mensa
- Innanetape (2013)
With Suicidal Tendencies
- Year of the Cycos (2008)
- No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family (2010)
- 13 (2013)
With Terrace Martin
- Velvet Portraits (2016)
With N.E.R.D
- No One Ever Really Dies (2017)
With Travis Scott
- Astroworld (album) (2018)
With Kali Uchis
- Isolation (2018)
Thundercat Twitter
Thundercat Instagram
Thundercat Youtube
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