Thundercat on Creativity, Positive Mindsets & Finding His Sound
4/26/202657 min
Can you force creativity or does it only come when it’s ready? Double Grammy Award winning artist Thundercat joins Romesh Ranganathan for a wide-ranging conversation about music, art, style and finding your own sound. From Thundercat’s journey in music, growing up around musicians, to becoming a solo artist and finding his niche, they discuss how his sound developed and how working with Flying Lotus changed everything. He also touches on creating during trauma and why he believes creativity cannot be rushed. And they discuss the potential of a new album... Plus, a question from Shanthi on confidence and dealing with bullying growing up, touring and new music, a game of Misquoted and obviously, a lot of love for the bass. A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform. 00:00 Intro 03:23 Romesh gasses up Thundercat 03:57 Gift giving 06:49 Upcoming European Tour 08:15 The difference between American crowds 10:20 Was he always going to be a musician? 11:59 When art starts paying off 14:00 How did he become a solo artist? 16:30 How to define Thundercats genre 22:19 A question from Shanthi on confidence 25:28 On getting bullied 29:09 Thundercats style 35:00 New music and possible albums 38:30 On trauma effecting creativity 40:13 Misquoted 43:50 On Mac Miller 45:56 Misquoted continued 48:03 Is Thundercat a Thundercat fan? 50:56 The importance of bass 52:55 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsRomesh Ranganathan· Host0:00
Are you not interested in sharks at all? Because, because- I don't think they're interested in us either. No, they're not. But what I mean is like the ... You know, like, you know, shark- I respect sharks ... I- I'm addicted to shark films, to be honest with you.
Thundercat· Guest0:10
I like Shark Week.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:11
Yeah? Shark Week's good.
Thundercat· Guest0:13
I could- Deep Blue Sea, do you remember that? That's pretty funny.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:15
That's a good film, right?
Thundercat· Guest0:16
Yeah, it's a good- One of the greatest film deaths in all time, Samuel J- Samuel L Jackson- Yeah, Sam ...
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:20
when it comes out the thing.
Thundercat· Guest0:21
Yeah. You know, like, you know, try to put some butter on.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:24
Mega-The Meg, The Meg, did you watch that?
Thundercat· Guest0:25
Mega- Yeah.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:26
Did you like that?
Thundercat· Guest0:26
It was also crazy. S- Right, rides the line between shit and, and, and, and fantastic.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:32
[laughs] But that's my favorite line. That's my career.
Thundercat· Guest0:33
Yeah. Hi, I'm Thundercat, and I'm gonna be on the Romesh Ranganathan Show.
Shanthi Ranganathan0:38
[upbeat music] It's the Romesh Ranganathan Show. Oh, shut up, Romesh.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host0:50
Uh, my guest today is a double Grammy-winning musician from California. Rolling Stone named him one of the greatest bassists of all time. He's worked with Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, Mac Miller, uh, and many, many more. I'm gonna try and play it cool, as I'm genuinely a fucking huge fan of yours.
Thundercat· Guest1:07
Oh.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host1:08
It's Thundercat, everybody.
Thundercat· Guest1:09
[clapping] Hi. Woo.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host1:11
Dude, you're one of the best, man.
Thundercat· Guest1:13
Thank you.
Romesh Ranganathan· Host1:14
Like, you ... [sighs] I'm just gonna get this out the way, 'cause I have to say it, right? I, uh, I think Drunk was when I first, like, got into your, you know, c- your, your s- When I sort of came across you as a, a, a solo artist.