Thundercat returned Monday (September 15) with two fresh singles, “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time” and “Children of the Baked Potato” featuring Remi Wolf, marking his first original music in two years and setting the stage for his upcoming North American tour.
Both songs were released through Brainfeeder and include production from Grammy Award-winning producer Greg Kurstin. “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time” leans into Thundercat’s signature blend of mellow bass grooves and falsetto vocals, while “Children of the Baked Potato” brings a more animated energy, driven by Wolf’s dynamic delivery and a nod to a legendary Los Angeles jazz venue.
“She’s a child of the Baked Potato like me,” Thundercat said of Wolf. “She knew exactly what the song needed. And it was wild to watch her make it happen. The more I listen to the song, it’s clear there was no one better I could have picked.”
The track’s title pays tribute to The Baked Potato, a small but legendary jazz club in Studio City known for its baked potato menu and decades-long history of hosting top-tier musicians. The venue has long been a touchstone for Thundercat, who credits it as a major influence on his musical upbringing.
The song debuted on Shibuya TV’s massive outdoor screen in Tokyo’s central district, along with 42 screens at Miyashita Park. The rollout included an in-person viewing experience and an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s New Music Daily show, where Thundercat and Wolf discussed the collaboration.
Born Stephen Bruner, Thundercat is a prodigious bassist, singer and producer known for his genre-blending approach to jazz, funk and R&B. A former member of the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, he gained wider recognition for his solo work and collaborations with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, Erykah Badu and Mac Miller.
His 2015 album, The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam, and 2017’s Drunk earned critical acclaim, with the latter featuring the viral hit “Them Changes.” In 2020, he released It Is What It Is, which won Best Progressive R&B Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. Thundercat’s contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly also helped shape one of Hip-Hop’s most celebrated albums of the last decade.
Thundercat North America Tour Dates
October 15 — Atlanta, GA — Coca—Cola Roxy
October 17 — Miami, FL — III Points Festival
October 25 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Paramount
October 28 — Washington D.C. — The Anthem
October 29 — Philadelphia, PA — Franklin Music Hall
October 30 — Boston, MA — Roadrunner
November 1 — Toronto, ON — Massey Hall
November 7 — Chicago, IL — Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
November 11— Denver, CO — Fillmore Auditorium
November 16— Los Angeles, CA — Camp Flog Gnaw