Stephen Lee Bruner, better known by his stage name Thundercat, is an American bass guitarist, singer, producer, and songwriter from Los Angeles.

Thundercat Children: Does Thundercat Have A Child?

He has a teenage daughter named Sanaa.

Career

Bruner began playing the bass at an early age, listening to bass players such as Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller for inspiration. By the age of 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 Crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, replacing former bass player Josh Paul. Bruner’s earliest studio album appearances include playing electric bass on Kamasi Washington’s Live at 5th Street Dick’s and The Proclamation.

Erykah Badu was credited with helping Bruner find his stage presence and identity as Thundercat. Around this time, Bruner would play in live bands for Raphael Saadiq and Snoop Dogg, both would make quips about his playing style. Bruner credited Flying Lotus with pushing him to start singing and making his own projects.