Thundercat on the ‘Distracted’ Album, ‘Star Trek’ & Musical Nerd Heaven | Double J Interview

Why It Matters

The interview illuminates how modern artists balance prolific session work with their own releases and use high-profile collaborations to sustain momentum and broaden audience reach; for the music business, Thundercat’s approach underlines the commercial and creative value of cross-artist partnerships and slow-build release strategies.

Summary

In a wide-ranging Double J interview, Thundercat describes his life as nonstop music-making and his refusal to separate personal and collaborative projects while discussing his new album Distracted. He explains the three-year gap between the Kevin Parker-led single “No More Lies” and the album as part of a patient creative process, and recounts working late-night on others’ records. The conversation highlights his chemistry with Kevin Parker, a roster of guest features including Willow, Channel Tres, The Lemon Twigs, Danny Brown, Flying Lotus and the late Mac Miller—whose drum part sparked “She Knows Too Much”—and Thundercat’s habit of treating every project as if it were his own. He frames the album as the product of iterative, timeless craft rather than a strict schedule.

Original Description

Thundercat sits down with Double J’s Hau Latukefu to talk making the ‘Distracted’ album, drum breaks and bass lines, perfect memories, collaborators, growing up in LA with Kamasi Washington and everything in between.

00:00 Intro

00:10 When does Thundercat have a music free day?

01:04 On needing a soundtrack for everything

01:27 How Thundercat listens to music when he’s writing

02:28 Separating from music & palate cleansing

03:01 On making Thundercat’s 5th studio album, ‘Distracted’

03:59 Working with Justice, Victoria Monét, JID, Smino & Silk Sonic

04:43 Trusting the process & taking time

05:12 Kevin Parker & 'No More Lies'

06:49 ‘Distracted’ album features (Lil Yachty, Willow Smith, Flying Lotus, Kenny Beats, Channel Tres & the Lemon Twigs)

07:10 ‘She Knows Too Much’ & perfect memories of Mac Miller (shoutout ‘Clerks II’)

10:27 Bring back the drum break

11:03 More perfect memories of Mac Miller & Taylor Graves (shoutout ‘Star Trek’ & the ‘Starship Enterprise’)

11:52 How Thundercat records basslines (shoutout Greg Phillinganes on ‘Thriller’)

15:02 Playing upright bass & ‘The Big Lebowski’

15:31 Playing late shows & feeding off crowd energy

16:50 Taking song requests with Kamasi Washington (“Can you guys play some Prince?”)

18:01 Thundercat’s favourite funk song, shoutout Bruno Mars & The Bar-Kays ‘Holy Ghost’