10 Fascinating Facts About Thundercat

Thundercat Comes From a Family of Musicians

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Thundercat is not the only musician in his family. His mother, Pam Bruner, is an accomplished flutist and percussionist, while his father, Ronald Bruner Sr., is a drummer known for collaborations with well-known artists like Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, and The Temptations, according to "The New York Times." In addition, his older brother Ronald Jr. is a producer and drummer.

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Thundercat Was Taught by a Music Legend While in High School

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Besides the immediate music influence Thundercat had within his own home, he was also taught and inspired by a music legend while in high school. Reggie Andrews, a talented songwriter, a music producer, and, coincidentally, Thundercat's music teacher, is known for collaborating with well-known artists like Patrice Rushen, The Pharcyde, Tyrese Gibson, and the Dazz Band, to name a few. Thundercat told blues and jazz magazine "DownBeat" that Andrews was like his second dad and went on to say, "Anybody that got a chance to be his student, he became like a dad. He would push us to be better. He's part of L.A.'s real history."

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Thundercat Is Named After Bruce Lee

Just when you thought Thundercat couldn't get any cooler, it turns out he was named after martial artist Bruce Lee. In an Instagram post, Thundercat posted a picture by Bruce Lee's grave in Seattle with the caption, "Seattle was emotional AF. My momma named me after Bruce Lee (and Ms. Lee from the wig salon off imperial)."

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Thundercat Was in a Thrash Metal Band

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Prior to his solo career in experimental R&B and jazz, Thundercat was a bassist in the hardcore rock band Suicidal Tendencies from 2002-2011. On the near-10-year journey with the band, Thundercat told "Whiteboard Journal," "Working with Mike Muir taught me to stand in the front and be my own artist. He taught me to not be afraid of the audience and the energy that hardcore punk music has had to offer. It taught me a bit of grit, attitude and to not think about anything other than what I was doing on stage."

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Thundercat Was a Close Friend of Mac Miller

In addition to several other music collaborations, Thundercat frequently worked with late rapper Mac Miller on a number of songs, including Miller's 2018 song "What's the Use?" and Thundercat's "Hi" off his 2017 album "Drunk." Putting aside their professional work together, the pair were also very close friends, and when Miller died unexpectedly in 2018, Thundercat took the loss hard.

Thundercat spoke with NPR on the loss of Miller and his influence on Thundercat's latest album, "It Is What It Is," saying, "I mean, it's hard to see clearly through the pain of losing him. I think Mac's spirit always was very influential, ever since I met him, in my attitude about recording; just the way I would go about recording sometimes, I knew it's something I had learned working with Mac. I mean, even on the album, I'm kind of saying goodbye to him a bit."

Miller's 30th birthday just passed on Jan. 19, and to honor him, Thundercat wrote an open letter in "Rolling Stone," writing in part, "I'm happy that I've gotten to know you and spend this time with you because your life changed my life. I hope that wherever you are, you're still changing people's lives. Love, Thundercat."

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Thundercat Is a Huge Anime Fan

Outside of music, Thundercat has a fierce passion for anime. His fascination with it started when he was a kid in the 1980s and early '90s and only grew stronger as he grew up. When he was 10 years old, he got a job at his local comic-book store, Collector's Paradise, which helped to fuel his love for all things animated. In an interview with "The Face," Thundercat said that some of his favorite animes include "Cowboy Bepop," "Fists of the North Star," and, of course, "Dragon Ball Z," which influenced his 2020 single "Dragonball Durag."

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Thundercat Loves Video Games

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Thundercat is undeniably a kid at heart, with a love for not only anime and cartoons but video games as well. Growing up, he was a huge fan of games like "Super Mario," "The Legend of Zelda," "Contra," and "Sonic the Hedgehog," to name a few. Outside of the regular fun that comes with playing video games, Thundercat also deeply appreciates video-game soundtracks. In an interview with Sean Evans on the popular web series "Hot Ones," he spoke on the importance of music in video games, saying, "The note choices are so important in certain moments. That is what makes a video game amazing. It's what keeps you there and keeps your mind ticking in the way that it should be."

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Thundercat Has a Teenage Daughter

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Thundercat keeps a lot of aspects about his personal life private, and understandably so. He did reveal in an interview with "W Magazine," however, that he has a teenage daughter named Sanaa, who picked up an interest in music from her father.

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He Has Contributed to Soundtracks For Some Popular Shows

On top of his solo music and music collaborations, Thundercat has also written songs for some popular shows, including HBO's "Insecure" and the "Thundercats" reboot.

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Thundercat Is a Cat Dad

On Dec. 14, 2021, Thundercat posted a series of pictures on his personal Twitter featuring two kittens, with the caption, "I started a gang." Given that his name is Thundercat, it feels right that he now has some cats of his own.

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