Nosaj Thing

Known for his textural approach to genres like electronica and hip-hop, Nosaj Thing is an American DJ and producer whose unique creative input can be heard on tracks by Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, and Julianna Barwick, among others. Born Jason W. Chung in Los Angeles, California, he began making beats on his father's computer, inspired by turntablism, drum'n'bass, and the sounds of rave culture. Shortly after, he made his live debut at Los Angeles' avant-garde music venue The Smell while also becoming a regular at the experimental hip-hop night Low End Theory, where he first got in touch with kindred spirits such as Flying Lotus and Samiyam. Following the release of the 2006 EP Views/Octopus, Nosaj Thing signed with local indie label Alpha Pup Records and issued his studio debut Drift in 2009. The album received widespread critical acclaim thanks to its unique juxtaposition of elements from UK dubstep, IDM, and instrumental rap music. In the years that followed, he produced tracks for Kid Cudi, Busdriver, and Kendrick Lamar, and returned with his second studio LP Home in 2013. Featuring special appearances from Toro y Moi and Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino, Home found the LA beatmaker exploring genres like ambient, house music, and alternative R&B. That year, Nosaj Thing also kickstarted his own label, Timetable Records. Released in 2015, his third album Fated reached number 9 on the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart and featured Chance the Rapper on the track "Cold Stares." No Reality, a house music EP, arrived in 2016. The sudden theft of all his gear while on tour greatly affected the sound of his fourth full-length album, 2017's Parallels, a much more streamlined project featuring guest spots by Steve Spacek, Zuri Marley, and Kazu Makino. The Blonde Redhead singer would appear once again on 2022's Continua, another pop-adjacent album whose extended roster also included serpentwithfeet, Julianna Barwick, Toro y Moi, Pink Siifu, Panda Bear, and Eyedress.