Ronald Bruner Sr: Who Is Thundercat Dad?
Emily Cortez
Published Feb 25, 2026
Thundercat is the stage name of Stephen Lee Bruner, an American bass guitarist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter who was born in Los Angeles on October 19, 1984. In addition to his collaboration with producer Flying Lotus and his participation on Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, he first gained notoriety as a member of the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies. Since then, he has released four solo studio albums.
The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam EP, which was created during the making of To Pimp a Butterfly, was released by Thundercat on June 22, 2015. The EP pays homage to Austin Peralta, a jazz pianist and friend of his who was signed to Brainfeeder before passing away in 2012.
The EP also features a Herbie Hancock feature and is where “Them Changes” made its debut. Flying Lotus was one of the primary contributors on the upcoming album that Bruner disclosed to XXL in 2016 was in the works.
At the iHeartRadio album release party for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2016 album The Getaway, Bruner performed live with the band in May of that year and added bass to the song “Go Robot.”
In Chicago in August 2016, Bruner performed live alongside Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald.
Ronald Bruner Sr: Who Is Thundercat Dad?
Bruner was born into a musical family that included his mother Pam, a flutist, and his father Ronald Bruner Sr., a drummer. In Compton and other areas of Los Angeles, they raised him. His father performed on the drums for artists such as Gladys Knight, The Supremes, and The Temptations.
The kids would watch Bruner Sr. perform at the Crenshaw Christian Center once dad had sobered up from distributing drugs. The personal life of his father, Ronald Bruner Sr, is not much known.
