Thundercat and Steve Lacy Perform "Black Qualls" on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
With guest vocals from g-funk pioneer Steve Arrington and a Mac Miller tribute.
Thundercat is only a handful of weeks from the release of his latest full-length LP, It Is What It Is, due out April 3. Last night the world-class bassist turned rockstar took to Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “Black Qualls” joined by collaborators Steve Lacy and 64-year-old West Coast g-funk pioneer Steve Arrington.
The live performance comes on the heels of the lo-fi Zack Fox-directed “Dragonball Durag” music video where Thundercat attained some extra confidence through a thrifted Dragonball Z-branded durag to spit some serious game at Quinta Brunson, Kali Uchis and the members of Haim. It featured his signature off-kilter sense of humor that matched lyrics like, “I may be covered in cat hair, but I still smell good/ Baby let me know, how do I look in my durag?”
“Black Qualls” displays some serious funk with matching falsettos from Thundercat and Lacy. Arrington’s old school vocals adds a nostalgic twist that flawlessly melds eras. Toward the end of the trio’s live performance, they pay tribute to the late Mac Miller by switching the groove to the instrumental of his Swimming track “What’s The Use?”. Arrington is yet another curated name in a carefully constructed roster throughout It Is What It Is. Thundercat’s latest album is also set to feature involvement from Flying Lotus, Childish Gambino, Ty Dolla $ign and Lil B.
Watch the full performance of his first single from It Is What It Is above and in from more music news, Coachella has been postponed until October over fears of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
