Badbadnotgood, V.C.R

Biography

BADBADNOTGOOD (stylized as BadBadNotGood or BBNG) is a Canadian instrumental band and production team formed in 2010 in Toronto by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski, who met while studying in the jazz program at Humber College. Their early sound fused jazz virtuosity with hip-hop influences from artists like MF DOOM and Odd Future, leading to mixtapes and debut albums such as BBNG (2011) and BBNG2 (2012), which featured audacious covers of tracks by Kanye West, James Blake, and Earl Sweatshirt. Viral attention came when Tyler, The Creator endorsed their Odd Future reinterpretations, propelling them from college students to international recognition.[1][2][3][4]

Saxophonist Leland Whitty joined as a frequent collaborator around 2014-2016, becoming a core member, while Tavares departed in 2019 to focus on solo work, though he remains an occasional collaborator. The band's evolution continued with genre-blending albums like III (2014), the hip-hop heavy Sour Soul (2015) with Ghostface Killah, IV (2016) featuring artists such as Samuel T. Herring and Charlotte Day Wilson, Talk Memory (2021), and Mid Spiral (2024). Known for their avant-garde yet accessible style mixing jazz, hip-hop, soul, and electronic elements, they have earned Polaris Prize nominations, a 2024 Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, and acclaim for dynamic live performances at venues like Coachella and production for diverse artists.[1][2][7]

BADBADNOTGOOD's legacy lies in bridging jazz with hip-hop and alternative scenes, revitalizing instrumental music for younger audiences while maintaining technical prowess. They have released through labels like Innovative Leisure and XL Recordings, toured globally, and contributed to soundtracks and high-profile events like Louis Vuitton runway shows, solidifying their role as innovative genre boundary-pushers.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• Drummer Alexander Sowinski wore a pig mask during early performances, inspired by MF DOOM's villain persona.[2]
• The band's name originated from a tentative title of a comedy TV project by Matthew Tavares that was abandoned.[2]
• Sowinski stayed in Humber College's jazz program longer than others partly for the school's dental plan.[2]
• They served as house band at Coachella 2012, backing Frank Ocean during his breakout performance.[3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• MF DOOM - major hip-hop inspiration shaping their early fusion sound (early mixtapes and covers) [2010-2012]
• Odd Future collective - key stylistic influences from the alternative hip-hop group (The Odd Future Sessions reinterpretations) [2010-2012]

Key Collaborators

• Leland Whitty - saxophonist, joined as core member after frequent collaborations (Sour Soul, IV, Talk Memory, Mid Spiral) [2014-present]
• Ghostface Killah - full collaborative album blending hip-hop and jazz (Sour Soul (2015)) [2015]
• Tyler, The Creator - endorsement and performance support leading to viral breakthrough (Odd Future covers, Coachella house band) [2012]
• Matthew Tavares - founding keyboardist, occasional collaborator post-departure (early albums BBNG, BBNG2, III) [2010-2019 (core), 2020-present (collaborator)]
• Charlotte Day Wilson - featured vocalist on key tracks (IV (2016)) [2016]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia