Stephen Lee Bruner, an American bass guitarist, performer, producer, and songwriter who was born in Los Angeles on October 19, 1984, is better known by his stage name Thundercat. He first rose to fame as a member of the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies.
He also worked with producer Flying Lotus, and he contributed to Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly. He has since put out four solo studio albums.
The Young Jazz Giants were Cameron Graves, Ronald Jr., Kamasi Washington, and Bruner in 2004. Together with Terrace Martin and five other Los Angeles jazz musicians, the quintet later formed the West Coast Get Down collective, under which they issued multiple recordings.
In addition to being a member of the group, Bruner is a well-known session musician best recognized for his work on Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah and Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma (2008).
Bruner was “at the creative epicenter” of Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, which received high accolades from critics. Longtime Thundercat colleagues Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, and Terrace Martin also contributed significantly to the album.
Pam Bruner: Who Is Thundercat Mum?
Bruner was raised in Los Angeles’ Compton and surrounding neighborhoods. Pam Bruner, his mother, is a percussionist and flute player. Ronald Bruner Sr., his father, is a drummer who has performed and recorded with the Temptations, Gladys Knight, and Diana Ross.
Bruner recalled going to performances with him as a youngster and nodding off during his father’s drum solos. No personal data is available about his mother. This section will be updated as we continue to discover more.