Terrence Strader has written raps with his friends since he was a student at Arlington High School. Now, the 29-year-old Indy native who dubbed himself “ThankYouBus,” has released an EP, “BusBoy,” with Los Angeles-based producer Sam Parker.
After taking a break from making music to pursue a career in videography, Strader got back into the music scene after collaborating with a friend on an album that was never released. After writing a few songs for her, Strader knew he wanted to start writing for himself again. The pandemic afforded him the time to write. After meeting Parker through a mutual friend in May 2020, Strader wrote about 15 songs in the span of a few weeks. “BusBoy” is a short sample of the work Strader did early last year.
The six songs on the album can all be listened to in under 15 minutes, a feature Strader said was a conscious choice.
“I feel like it’s such a potent listen that I wanted it to be so short people could easily go back to it,” Strader said. “It flows so effortlessly, and it doesn’t take much time out of your day. It’s an easy listen, so you don’t have to sit there for an hour listening to different songs, you get a lot in under 15 minutes.”
Strader said the track “Nah Mean” is the best song for listeners to get a feel for his style, but the rapper doesn’t like to be pinned down to just one style or genre of music. The EP is full of different sounds and styles — including synth beats and Common-inspired lyrics, reminiscent of the soundscapes Strader heard growing up.
“My mom used to listen to a lot of funk, and me and my friend used to listen to pop and alternative music,” Strader said. “We were listening to Boosie and Gucci, but we were also listening to Natasha Bedingfield and Coldplay, so I’ve got a wide palate, and that really inspired this EP.”
A wide array of influences and a cast of friends around the country helped Strader create this quarantine-era EP. While the songs were all written and recorded last year, Strader felt now is the right time to release them, right on time as music venues are slowly reopening around the country.
“I definitely have plans to perform live in my hometown whenever I get a chance,” Strader said.
Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
