Saying Thundercat is a bassist is like saying Pharrell plays keyboards. Born Stephen Bruner, the LA native found his groove linking up with producers like Flying Lotus and helping pioneer a sound that meshes hip hop’s energy with free-jazz experimentation. That led to playing on records by artists like Erykah Badu and Kendrick Lamar—whose 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly, was recorded with Thundercat as a strong creative influence. Pimp was hailed as much for its sonic texture as for Lamar’s incendiary lyricism. As albums regain ground they’d sacrificed to the MP3, the Thundercats of the world are restoring music’s immersive power.
Thundercat grooming by Louise Moon for Bumble and Bumble
