Thundercat is set to return to Dallas on Nov. 8, following an unannounced appearance at Erykah Badu’s vinyl listening party and DJ set in August. At Shyboy Hi-Fi, the bassist launched into his signature song “Them Changes,” as people lined up for blocks, adding a surprise Dallas moment to the run-up to his own show.
Thundercat (@thundercatmusic) joined Erykah Badu (@erykahbadu) for “Them Changes” during her DJ set at Shyboy Hifi on Wednesday night to celebrate Badu's new album, Before The World Blows, which dropped Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
A Surprise Set Rooted in a Decades-Long Friendship
Badu hosted the vinyl listening party and DJ set at Shyboy Hi-Fi on Aug. 26, according to dallasnews.com. Thundercat, the stage name of Los Angeles-born musician Stephen Bruner, appears on “They Ain't You,” a track on Badu and The Alchemist’s new project, as the Dallas Observer reports. Their musical relationship predates the album: Bruner met Badu as a teenager through Sa-Ra Creative Partners and later played bass on several of her late-2000s tracks, including “The Cell” and “Window Seat.”
The collaboration has also extended to Dallas stages. Bruner has performed at Badu’s birthday concerts in Deep Ellum, and the Dallas Observer reports that he has worked with Dallas-area artists and producers, including Domi and JD Beck.
Badu and The Alchemist's 16-Track Collaboration
The project, titled “Before the World Blows: The Abi and Alan Experiment,” is a 16-track collaborative album featuring Steve Lacy, Thundercat and Earl Sweatshirt, per dallasnews.com. It was recorded across Dallas and Los Angeles over 18 months, the outlet reports. Accounts of how the release fits into Badu's catalog differ: dallasnews.com calls it her first full-length release since her 2015 mixtape “But You Caint Use My Phone,” while the Dallas Observer has described it as her first LP since 2010's “New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh).”
Steve Lacy, another artist featured on the album, is a close friend and frequent collaborator of Bruner’s, according to the Dallas Observer.
Thundercat's Own Album Marks His Longest Gap Yet
Bruner released his own album, “Distracted,” via Brainfeeder Records in April, according to Pitchfork. The record followed 2020's “It Is What It Is” and marks his longest gap between albums, the Dallas Observer notes. Pitchfork describes “Distracted” as continuing the themes of grief explored on “It Is What It Is,” and the album includes contributions from A$AP Rocky, WILLOW, Tame Impala, Channel Tres and a previously unheard collaboration with his late friend Mac Miller.
“Them Changes,” released in 2015, has become Bruner’s signature song—the track he played during his surprise appearance at Shyboy Hi-Fi.
Bomb Factory Return Set for Nov. 8
Bruner is scheduled to return to Dallas on Sunday, Nov. 8, for a stop on the Distracted AF Tour at The Bomb Factory, at 2713 Canton Street, according to the Dallas Observer. Latin indie artist 54 Ultra will open the show. The Dallas Observer reports that tickets start at $60.
The Venue and Deep Ellum’s Nightlife
The venue at 2713 Canton Street reopened in July 2021 as The Factory after dropping “Bomb” from its name, then later reclaimed the Bomb Factory name, according to CultureMap Dallas.
City of Dallas Quality of Life Committee materials say Councilmember Moreno formed the Deep Ellum Noise Task Force in summer 2021 to seek ways for businesses to thrive while maintaining nearby residents’ quality of life.
