By JT Schultz

While spending an unhealthy amount of time on YouTube is not uncommon for me, the recent circumstances have furthered my passion for deep diving into the world of music videos. In my escapades to find a beacon of light in these trying times, I believe to have found an antidote to the boredom and stress that quarantine has induced. The answer: Thundercat's music video for “Dragon Ball Durag.”

The anime fanatic, nail polish flaunting, jazz head, cat counisour has made it clear that he is proud of his eccentric passions in the past. The eternity of Thundercat's work is saturated with references to Japanese culture, samples of video game sound effects, and of course his feline friends. “Tron Song,” off of his album Apocalypse, was written as an ode to his cat whose full name is Turbo Tron Over 9000 Baby Jesus Sally (Turbo Tron for short). The music video for Tron song was directed by absurdist comedian Eric Andre and (viewer discretion advised) features Thundercat diving into the anus of Turbo Tron.

Stephen Bruner, known as Thundercat, reemerged this year with the single “Dragon Ball Durag”. While the lyrics of this song are ridiculous, including the line “I might be covered in cat hair, but I still smell good,” the music is a testament to the man's effortless talent.

Opening with groovy bass chords, a staple of his style, Thundercat is revealed instantly as he applies vaseline to his lips while wearing a kimono neatly tucked into his Gucci belt. The video, directed by Zack Fox, somehow perfectly blends cheesy crossfades and fusion jazz. Not only does Thunder cat pull off cheetah print ear muffs, but he also manages to look cool while failing to moonwalk, drinking capri sun on a child's scooter, and spying on women from a dumpster. 

Thundercat stands out in a music industry that is saturated with pretentiousness and lack of creativity. For this reason, in this turbulent period of life, I find it refreshing to spend my time with an artist that is genuinely talented, original, but also humble. “Dragon Ball Durag” is one of the three singles Bruner has released before his upcoming album It Is What It is coming out April 3rd.