Chester Anton Mathias Hansen (born May 1, 1992) is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as bassist of instrumental group
BADBADNOTGOOD
BadBadNotGood (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian instrumental band and production team from Toronto, Canada. The group was founded in 2010 by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski. In 2016, they we ...
. As a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
-winning songwriter, Hansen often works with his bandmates and producer
Frank Dukes
Adam King Feeney (born September 12, 1983), better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Camila Cabello ("Havan ...
and is credited for co-writing hit songs by
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
,
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...
,
Daniel Caesar
Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds (born April 5, 1995), known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two critically acclaimed EPs, ''Praise Break'' (2014 ...
, and
Kali Uchis
Karly-Marina Loaiza (born July 17, 1994), known professionally as Kali Uchis ( ), is an American singer. She released her debut mixtape, ''Drunken Babble'', in 2012, which was followed by her debut EP, '' Por Vida'', released in 2015. In 2018, U ...
, among others.
Personal life and career
Hansen was born on May 1, 1992, in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Ontario. He was raised in the
Nepean
Nepean may refer to:
Places Australia
*Nepean Bay, a bay in South Australia,
** Nepean Bay Conservation Park, a protected area in South Australia,
** Nepean Bay, South Australia, a locality
*Nepean Highway, Victoria
*Nepean Island (Norfolk Islan ...
area of the city and attended
Canterbury High School, a local arts magnet school.
Growing up, he played piano and shifted his focus to the bass during high school.
Beginning in his teens, Hansen worked on and released music which combined hip-hop, jazz, and electronic influences.
In 2010, Hansen began attending
Humber College
The Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, commonly known as Humber College, is a public College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1967, Humber has two main campuses: the Humber North c ...
in Toronto to study music performance.
In his first year, he met fellow music students
Alexander Sowinski
Alexander William Sowinski (born October 11, 1991) is a Canadian musician, producer, and drummer for instrumental group BADBADNOTGOOD. With the band, he has released five studio albums and is noted for his jazz drumming musicianship.
Life and ...
and
Matthew Tavares
Matthew Adam Tavares (born September 15, 1990), also known as Matty, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and music producer. He is best known as a founder of the instrumental group BADBADNOTGOOD, with whom he released five studio albums and pro ...
and began collaborating with them, creating what would become BADBADNOTGOOD. The band had viral success in 2011 after posting jazz covers of
Odd Future
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF, was an American hip-hop music collective formed in Los Angeles County, California in 2007. The original members were Tyler, the Creator, Casey Veggies, ...
songs online, and released their debut record that Fall. He withdrew from school in February 2012.
With BBNG, Hansen has released five full-length albums, including a collaborative record with
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
, and has been short-listed for the
Polaris Music Prize
The Polaris Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The award was established in 2006 with a $20,000 cash prize; the prize was incr ...
twice.
In the early 2010s, Hansen began working with close BBNG collaborator
Frank Dukes
Adam King Feeney (born September 12, 1983), better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Camila Cabello ("Havan ...
. With him, as well as other members of BBNG, they composed original music for hip-hop music sampling. Of note, fellow Canadian Drake used a song Hansen had written with Dukes, "Vibez," in his 2014 single "
0 to 100 / The Catch Up" and another track was used in Rihanna's 2016 song "
Sex with Me."
As part of BBNG, Hansen also works as a songwriter and producer, which includes writing music for sampling as well as working with fellow artists in the studio.
Artistry
Hansen's style and sound is often compared to that of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly because of his stocky, warm bass tone. One critic commented, "Hansen has married the sounds and dexterous, melodic playing style of yesteryear with a modern band and music scene."
As a bassist, Hansen often plays a
Gibson Grabber
__NOTOC__
The Gibson Grabber was a bass guitar introduced in 1973 along with the Gibson Ripper, both designed by Bill Lawrence.
The Grabber featured a bolt-on neck similar to Fender basses and shared a similar body shape with the Ripper. A di ...
and a vintage
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:
People
* Gibson (surname)
Businesses
* Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment
* Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based
* Gibso ...
SB-300. He employs a variety of basses in live settings including a
Gallien-Krueger
Gallien-Krueger, also referred to as 'GK' (as in their logo), is a manufacturer of bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets . The company is based in Stockton, California, and was founded in 1968.
History
Robert Gallien started his company, then ...
800/700 RB (with an 8×10 GK
cab), a
Gallien-Krueger
Gallien-Krueger, also referred to as 'GK' (as in their logo), is a manufacturer of bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets . The company is based in Stockton, California, and was founded in 1968.
History
Robert Gallien started his company, then ...
Fusion 500 (with a 4×10 Kicker CX cab), and a
D’Angelico Excel SD.
He has commented that he likes to use thick flat-wound strings far off of the neck.
Additionally, Hansen often plays keyboards on records. He has
perfect pitch
Perfect commonly refers to:
* Perfection, completeness, excellence
* Perfect (grammar), a grammatical category in some languages
Perfect may also refer to:
Film
* ''Perfect'' (1985 film), a romantic drama
* ''Perfect'' (2018 film), a science ...
.
Discography
With BADBADNOTGOOD
* ''
BBNG'' (2011)
* ''
BBNG2
''BBNG2'' is the second studio album from Canadian music group BADBADNOTGOOD. It was made available on the band's website as a free download in various formats. The album is a mixture of original compositions and covers of Earl Sweatshirt (track ...
'' (2012)
* ''
III'' (2014)
* ''
Sour Soul''
(with Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
) (2015)
* ''
IV'' (2016)
* ''
Talk Memory
''Talk Memory'' is the fifth solo album by Canadian instrumental group BadBadNotGood. It was released on October 8, 2021, by XL Recordings and Innovative Leisure, and is the band's first album in five years. A mostly improvisational work, it was pr ...
'' (2021)
Production and songwriting credits
Partial discography, adapted from
SOCAN
The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a Canadian performance rights organization that represents the performing rights of more than 135,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. The organization collect ...
. Note, Hansen's work is sometimes incorrectly credited to C. John "Jack" Hansen, a producer notable for his work with
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
.
Production credits as part of BADBADNOTGOOD
Notable credits include,
*
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...
: "
Lust." from ''
Damn.
''Damn'' (stylized as ''DAMN.'') is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on April 14, 2017, through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Lamar assembled numerous artists an ...
'' (2016)
(Certifications – US: gold)
*
GoldLink
D'Anthony William Carlos (born May 17, 1993), better known by his stage name GoldLink, is an American rapper and singer. In 2014, he released his debut mixtape, ''The God Complex'', which received critical acclaim. In June 2015, GoldLink was cho ...
: "Fall in Love" (featuring Cisero) (2016)
*
Daniel Caesar
Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds (born April 5, 1995), known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two critically acclaimed EPs, ''Praise Break'' (2014 ...
: "
Get You" (2016)
(Certifications: US: 2× platinum; CAN: 2× Platinum; UK: silver)
*
Kali Uchis
Karly-Marina Loaiza (born July 17, 1994), known professionally as Kali Uchis ( ), is an American singer. She released her debut mixtape, ''Drunken Babble'', in 2012, which was followed by her debut EP, '' Por Vida'', released in 2015. In 2018, U ...
: "
After the Storm" (featuring
Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future.
Okonma self-released his debut mixtape ' ...
and
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer.
Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...
) from ''
Isolation'' (2018)
(Certifications – US: gold)
*
Khalid
Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal", and it also appears as a surname.Swae Lee
Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown (born June 7, 1993), known professionally as Swae Lee, is an American singer and rapper. Known for his wide vocal range and genre-bending, Swae Lee is one half of the hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd with his brother Slim ...
: "The Ways" from ''
Black Panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been ...
'' (2018)
Other credits
* The Living Sound System – ''Night of the Living Sound System'' (2011); keys
*
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with ...
– "What's Real" (featuring
RES) from ''
Gravitas
''Gravitas'' () was one of the ancient Ancient Rome, Roman virtues that denoted "seriousness". It is also translated variously as weight, dignity, and importance and connotation, connotes restraint and moral rigor. It also conveys a sense of resp ...
'' (2013)
(uncredited) – with Frank Dukes
*
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
– "
0 to 100 / The Catch Up " (2014)
(samples "Vibez") (Certifications US: 2× platinum; UK: Silver) – with Frank Dukes
*
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with ...
– "Arsenio Hall Show" (2014)
– with Frank Dukes
*
Yuna – "Broke Her" (2014)
(samples "Vibez") – with Frank Dukes
*
Fabolous
John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive ...
– "Bish Bounce" from ''
The Young OG Project
''The Young OG Project'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Fabolous; it was released on December 25, 2014, by Def Jam Recordings, Desert Storm Records and Street Family Records. The album features guest appearances from Chris Brown, V ...
'' (2014)
– with Frank Dukes
*
Wale – "The Helium Balloon" from ''
The Album About Nothing
''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
'' (2015)
– with Frank Dukes
*
Logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premis ...
– "Top Ten" feat.
Big K.R.I.T. (2015)
(samples "Vibez") – with Frank Dukes
*
Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
– "Perfect Circle / God Speed" from ''
GO:OD AM'' (2015)
(uncredited) – with Frank Dukes
*Kingsway Music Library – ''Colors'' (2015); bass, keys, vocals
– with Frank Dukes
* Estan –''The Vanity Of Reason'' (2015); bass
*
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...
– "
Sex with Me" from ''
ANTi
Anti may refer to:
*Anti-, a prefix meaning "against"
*Änti, or Antaeus, a half-giant in Greek and Berber mythology
*A false reading of '' Nemty'', the name of the ferryman who carried Isis to Set's island in Egyptian mythology
*Áńt’į, or ...
'' (2016)
(Certifications – US: 2× platinum; UK: Silver) – with Frank Dukes
*
TGOD Mafia – "Stay the Same" from ''Rude Awakening'' (2016)
(samples "Vibez") – with Frank Dukes
*
Lil Pump
Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona.
Li ...
– "Flex Like Ouu" from ''
Lil Pump
Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona.
Li ...
'' (2017)
(Certifications – US: gold) – with Frank Dukes
*
Aminé
Adam Aminé Daniel (born April 18, 1994) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He first gained notability for his commercial debut single, " Caroline", which peaked at number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Aminé released h ...
– "Yellow" from ''
Good for You'' (2017)
– with Frank Dukes
*
Saukrates
Karl Amani Wailoo (born March 6, 1978), better known by his stage name Saukrates (; "Socrates"), is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of the hip-hop/ R&B group Big Black ...
– "The Grand Design" from ''Season 2'' (2017)
– with Frank Dukes
*
Charlotte Day Wilson
Charlotte Day Wilson (born 1993) is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. – "Doubt" (2017); writing, bass, guitar
*
Charlotte Day Wilson
Charlotte Day Wilson (born 1993) is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. – "Let You Down" and "Funeral" from ''Stone Woman EP'' (2018); bass
*
Matty – ''Déjàvu'' (2018); bass, writing
*Wes Allen – ''Funny Thing'' EP (2018); producer, mixed, instrumentation
*
Jerry Paper
Lucas Nathan (born August 7, 1990), best known by the stage name Jerry Paper, is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. They began releasing music in 2009, with their first projects being Zonotope™ and the noise music project D ...
– ''Like A Baby'' (2018); bass
*
Tropics
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred ...
– "Never Letting Go" and "Come Home" off ''Nocturnal Souls'' (2018); bass
*
Matty – "Selfportrait" (2019); writing, bass
*
Elijah Blake – "Half in Love" (2019); writing
*
Safe
A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure Lock (security device), lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form ...
– "No Rush" from ''
Stay
Stay may refer to:
Places
* Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US
Law
* Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment
* Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tr ...
'' (2019); writing
*Doug Shorts – "Heads or Tails" from ''
Casual Encounter'' (2019)
– with Frank Dukes
*Antony Carle – "Cut in Line" from ''The Bitch of Living'' (2020); writing
*
Ben L'Oncle Soul
Benjamin Duterde (; born 10 November 1984), better known by his stage name Ben l'Oncle Soul (, ), is a French soul singer and songwriter. He has released four studio albums, the self-titled debut '' Ben l'Oncle Soul'' in 2010, ''À coup de rêves ...
– "Next To You" feat.
Yuna and "I Love This Game" from ''
Addicted to You'' (2020); bass
*Beachtown Exile – ''Feeling Again'' (2020); mixing
*
Steve Arrington
Steven Ralph Arrington (born March 5, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, engineer and minister, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio.
Biography
Arrington played in various local bands before joining and touring with The M ...
– "Good Mood" from ''Down To The Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions'' (2020); bass
(prod. Jerry Paper
Lucas Nathan (born August 7, 1990), best known by the stage name Jerry Paper, is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer. They began releasing music in 2009, with their first projects being Zonotope™ and the noise music project D ...
)
*Rogê - "Pra Vida" (2022); bass
Awards
As part of BADBADNOTGOOD
As producer and songwriter
References
External links
Official BBNG website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Chester
Canadian jazz bass guitarists
1992 births
Living people