I watched Questlove interview Los Angeles bass player Thundercat for Questlove’s podcast. Thundercat’s latest album Distracted spent 2026 at the top of North American College Community Radio Hip Hop chart. Thundercat doesn’t rap.
Thundercat is a bassist whose album Distracted found release from Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder Records. Flying Lotus is an L.A. instrumental Hip Hop producer whose aunt is Alice Coltrane.
Lotus has worked with Radiohead, Kendrick, MF Doom and others. Flying Lotus is the legacy of J. Dilla.
Thundercat’s Distracted album features Willow Smith on Thunderwave, A$ap Rocky during Funny Friends, Lil Yatchy from I Did This To Myself, and others.
I don’t know if anyone raps during Distracted. Ok. Mac Miller’s does rap during Distracted.
I would describe Thundercat’s sound like this:
Thundercat is interviewed in the HBO Max film, Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary in between conversations with Christopher “Sailin” Cross, Toto, Micheal McDonald, Questlove, and others.
From what I understood a bunch of white musicians loved Stevie Wonder, and recorded music in the 70s.
In the late 80s and early 90s De La Soul and later Warren G sampled Yacht Rock.
Years later in the early oughts, these Stevie Wonder lovers were dubbed Yacht Rock in an almost ironic understanding that white dudes loving Stevie Wonder while partying on yachts with emotional maturity sounds like heaven.
Thundercat liked Stevie Wonder and Yacht Rock as someone born and raised in Los Angeles.
In our current, Thundercat worked with Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, and others…
The result of De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising influencing G-Funk:
Thundercat’s album Distracted sounds like if Tyler, The Creator was a protege of Steely Dan.
Thundercat is from Compton. Dr. Dre’s love Parliament Funkadelic and Bootsy Collins is an organic culture for Thundercat’s existence in Kendrick Lamar’s California.
Thundercat is a serious musician. Thundercat’s jazz peers include Kamasi Washington and Terrance Martin.
RZA gave us Adrian Younge.
Dre made Flying Lotus, and Thundercat natural in L.A.
I started thinking about Columbus, Ohio bass player Foley. Foley’s 1993 album 7 Years Ago… Directions in Smart Alec Music doesn’t sound anything like Thundercat.
I’m impressed with the idea of bass players successfully producing experimental Hip Hop records. For some reason I envision Foley 7 Years Ago…Directions in Smart Alec Music is RJD2’s ultimate aspiration post Def Jux and/or Parsnip.
Mo Jazz released Foley’s 7 Years Ago...Directions in Smart Alec Music in 1993. 7 Years Ago…Directions in Smart Alec Music sounds like Public Enemy’s Fear of Black Planet/ Apocalypse 91 if Public Enemy’s classic album consisted of only skits, and interludes and found release after Dr. Dre’s 1992 Chronic in 1993
Foley worked with Miles Davis and George Clinton leading in his Motown Release.
7 Years Ago...Directions in Smart Alec Music exudes a confidence and expertise of someone whose days were spent with music legends.
Thundercat sounds like some harmony in De La Soul’s idea of humor.
Foley sounds like a Hank Shocklee collage maintaining a Funkadelic bass-line’s modulation.
Do you think Foley’s 7 Years Ago...Smart Alec an underrated instrumental Hip Hop Columbus Classic?
Foley followed his Smart Alec Music album with a single called, “Stuck.” “Stuck” personnel is listed as, Chris Dowd of Fishbone, Larry Dune of Earth, Wind and Fire, Laurnae of Arrested Development, Stokely of Mint Condition, Kevin Oliver of P. Funk, Dolly King, and Terry Effaw of McGuffey Lane.
Foley’s website says Foley the retired for music for 35 years after releasing “Stuck.” I don’t know if this was after Foley played Lollapalooza with Fishbone in 1993. Foley’s website declared it’s safe for Foley’s return in 2026.
7 Years Ago...Directions in Smart Alec Music vinyl plays like a Columbus release that you will feel surprised you didn’t know existed until now.