Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe(ⓘ;born February 25, 1975) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, actor, director,[1]and visual artist, best known as a founding member and co-lead vocalist of theBrooklyn-based bandTV on the Radio,with whom he has recorded five studio albums.
Tunde Adebimpe | |
|---|---|
 Tunde Adebimpe performing with TV on the Radio in 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe |
| Born | February 25, 1975 St. Louis,Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Member of | TV on the Radio |
As an actor, Adebimpe has appeared in the films,Twisters,Spider-Man: Homecoming,Marriage StoryandRachel Getting Married,alongside several independent feature films. He appeared in the 2024science fictiontelevision series,Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,and providedvoice actingon the animated series,Strange Planet,Lazor WolfandTuca & Bertie.
Early life
editAdebimpe was born into a Nigerian immigrant family in the United States. He attendedShady Side AcademyinFox Chapel, Pennsylvaniafor high school, where he is still active on the board. His deceased father was a psychiatrist inPittsburgh.He is married to French cartoonistDomitille Collardey,with whom he has a son.[2]
Music career
edit
TV on the Radio
editSolo work and collaborations
editAs well as occasionally performing solo, Adebimpe regularly collaborates with other musicians. He provides backing vocals on the track "Dragon Queen" on theYeah Yeah Yeahs' 2009 record,It's Blitz!,which was produced by fellowTV on the RadiomemberDavid Andrew Sitek.He appears on several tracks ofDragons of Zynth'sCoronation Thieves,also partially produced by Sitek. He produced and guested on "Your Glasshouse", a track fromAtmosphere's 2008 recordWhen Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold.He is featured on the song "Deathful" onSubtle's albumYell&Ice.[3]
In early 2009, he performed three shows as a duo withTall FirsdrummerRyan Sawyer,the latter two under the name Stabbing Eastward.[4][5][better source needed]Also in early 2009, Adebimpe released a combined single/DVD under the name Fake Male Voice on the Japan/Brooklyn label Heartfast.[6]He performed one show under that name with apickup groupat the record's release party. Fake Male Voice again performed at a Heartfast showcase duringCMJ2009, as a duo comprising Adebimpe and Gerard Smith.
In 2009 Adebimpe collaborated withMassive Attackon the track "Pray for Rain".[7]
In 2010, Adebimpe was featured on his TV on the Radio bandmateDave Sitek's projectMaximum Balloonon the track "Absence of Light".
Adebimpe with members of TV on the Radio are featured on three tracks fromTinariwen's albumTassili(2011), and on theAmadou & Mariamtrack "Wily Kataso", from the 2012 albumFolila.Ian Brennanwas a producer on the record, which went on to win aGrammy.
In 2012, Adebimpe formed the band Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band, who released their self-titled EP on their own ZNA records in October 2013.
Adebimpe provided the vocals on Bad Radio, a track onLeftfield'sAlternative Light Sourcealbum in 2015.
He is a member of the groupNevermenwithMike PattonandDoseone.Their debut albumNevermenwas released in 2016.
Adebimpe provided the vocals on "Thieves! (Screamed The Ghosts)" onRun The Jewels' albumRun the Jewels 3in 2017.
Adebimpe collaborated withRockstar Gamesand releasedSpeedline Miracle Masterpiece (ft. Sal P. &Sinkane)as part of theWelcome to Los Santossoundtrack forGrand Theft Auto V.The song was also used for the trailer music for theFurther Adventures in Finance and FelonyDLC.
In October 2022, he contributed a cover ofSleater-Kinney's "The Drama You’ve Been Craving" forDig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album,a tribute compilation in occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary ofDig Me Out.[8]Pitchforkcalled the track a "high point", describing Adebimpe's rendition as "barely recognizable, swapping its frenetic spunk for sultry synth-pop".[9]
In October 2024, Adebimpe announced that he had signed to Sub Pop for his debut solo LP,[10]with the title later revealed to beThee Black Boltz,due for release on April 18, 2025.[11]
Film and television career
editIn 1998, Adebimpe worked as one of the initial animators ofMTV's hyper-violentclaymationprogramCelebrity Deathmatch.
He starred in a 2001indiemovie,Jump Tomorrow,[12]based on a short college film,Jorge,in which he played the same character.
In 2003, Adebimpe directed themusic videofor theYeah Yeah Yeahssong "Pin".[12]
In 2008, he appeared as the groom inJonathan Demme'sRachel Getting MarriedalongsideRosemarie DeWitt,who portrayed his character's bride, andAnne Hathaway,who portrayed the bride's wayward sister. In the film, Adebimpe performs ana cappellacover of theNeil Youngsong "Unknown Legend".[13]
In 2011, Adebimpe directed the visual companion to the band's fourth album,Nine Types of Light.For the film, he recruited a roster of the band's favorite filmmakers to helm individual clips that would be sewn together into an abstract narrative about dreams, love, fame and the future. Adebimpe directed the video for the song "Forgotten", as well as the interstitial clips where a chorus of narrators help try to connect the dots between the film's various segments.[14]
In 2013, Adebimpe directed and animated the video for Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band's single "The Blast the Bloom",[15][16]In late 2013, Adebimpe wrapped shooting on Chilean directorSebastian Silva'sNasty Baby,starring oppositeKristen Wiigand director Silva. The film was released in 2015.[17]
Adebimpe made a brief cameo as himself on theIFCprogramPortlandiain the show's season 4 premiere.
In 2016, he provided the voice for the character Banana Guard #16 in theAdventure Timeepisode "The Thin Yellow Line".
In 2017, he starred in the second season ofThe Girlfriend Experience.
Adebimpe portrayed Mr. Cobbwell inSpider-Man: Homecoming(2017).
In 2020 in the second episode of theHBOPerry Masonminiseries, Adebimpe has a small role as a street preacher.[18]
Adebimpe has been cast in the 2024 TV showStar Wars: Skeleton Crew.[19]
Visual art
editOriginally acartoonist,Adebimpe still maintains a design, drawing and painting practice. In addition to art directing all of TV on the Radio's album covers, he painted the cover for the band's 2013 single "Mercy".
In 2009, Adebimpe released a self-published art comic,Plague Hero.The painted book depicts a bo xing match between twoanthropomorphiccharacters. Randomly selected copies contained a DVD of "Mystery Sh*t", a compilation of song sketches and animations from Adebimpe's archives.[20]
In May 2017, Adebimpe premieredA Warm Weather Ghost,a live, multimedia performance work commissioned by theWalker Art Centerin Minneapolis.[21]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Jorge | George | Short Film |
| 2001 | Jump Tomorrow | George Abiola | |
| 2004 | The First Three Lives of Stuart Hornsley | Stuart Hornsley | Short Film |
| Portrait of a Sellout | Jack | Short Film | |
| 2008 | Rachel Getting Married | Sidney | |
| 2013 | The Sun Thief | Short Film | |
| 2015 | Nasty Baby | Mo | |
| 7 Chinese Brothers | Major Norwood | ||
| 2017 | Night Shift | Oliver 'Olly' Jeffries | Short Film |
| Spider-Man: Homecoming | Mr. Cobbwell | ||
| 2019 | Cap | Victor Benett | Short Film |
| Marriage Story | Sam | ||
| 2020 | She Dies Tomorrow | Brian | |
| 2021 | The Sleeping Negro[citation needed] | Sheriff | |
| Ultrasound | Dr. Conners | ||
| 2022 | No More Time[citation needed] | Noah | |
| 2024 | Twisters[22] | Dexter | |
| 2024 | The Heart | Short Film |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | Celebrity Deathmatch | Michael Jordan(voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Superjail! | Prison Inmate Leader (voice) | Episode: "Specialneeds" |
| 2013 | As Da Art World Might Turn | Jimmy Braswell | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Portlandia | Tunde Adebimpe | Episode: "Sharing Finances" |
| 2016 | The New Yorker Presents | Dinner Host | Episode: "Dinner Host" |
| Adventure Time | Banana Guard #16 (voice) | Episode: "The Thin Yellow Line" | |
| Search Party | Edwin | Episode: "The Secret of the Sinister Ceremony" | |
| 2017 | The Girlfriend Experience | Ian Olsen | 7 episodes |
| 2019–2021 | Lazor Wulf | Lamont Brickwater, The Spirit, Commercial Narrator, The Streets (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2020 | Perry Mason | Preacher | Episode: "Chapter Two" |
| 2021 | Tuca & Bertie | Desmond Toucan (voice) | Episode: "Corpse Week" |
| 2023 | Strange Planet | Various roles | Main voice role |
| 2024—2025 | Star Wars: Skeleton Crew | Wendle | 6 episodes |
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Thee Black Boltz |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US AAA | |||
| "Magnetic" | 2024 | 24 | Thee Black Boltz |
References
edit- ^"Tunde Adebimpe Celebrates His 43rd Birthday - Report Minds".reportminds.Retrieved2022-03-08.
- ^"Domitille Collardey Adebimpe on Instagram..."Instagram. Archived fromthe originalon 2021-12-24.Retrieved2019-10-16.
- ^Ranta, Alan (2008-02-08)."Reviews: Subtle, Yell and Ice".PopMatters.Retrieved2009-05-25.
- ^"Themselves - 2009 tour dates, 2 NYC shows w/ Stabbing Eastward feat. Tunde TVoTR, a free mixtape".Brooklynvegan. 2009-04-01.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^"Stabbing Eastward @ Union Pool".Music Taster's Choice. October 17, 2009.Retrieved2009-12-27.
- ^"TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe Goes Solo on 7".Pitchfork.2008-10-31.Retrieved2009-05-25.
- ^Dombal, Ryan (2009-09-03)."Hear Massive Attack's Collaboration With Tunde From TV on the Radio".Pitchfork Media Inc.New York City, NY.
- ^Brodsky, Rachel (2022-10-21)."Sleater-Kinney Release 'Dig Me Out' Tribute Album Feat. Low, St. Vincent, Wilco, & More: Listen".Stereogum.Retrieved2022-11-27.
- ^Jones, Abby (27 October 2022)."Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album".Pitchfork.Retrieved2022-11-27.
- ^Monroe, Jazz (2024-10-29)."TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe Signs to Sub Pop, Shares New Solo Song" Magnetic "".Pitchfork.Retrieved2024-10-29.
- ^Tunde Adebimpe announces debut album Thee Black Boltz
- ^abMechling, Lauren (2008-09-20)."Just Asking... Tunde Adebimpe".The Wall Street Journal.New York City, NY. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-03.Retrieved2009-05-25.
- ^"Tunde Adebimpe Covers Neil Young".Stereogum.2008-10-10. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-03-05.Retrieved2009-05-25.
- ^Melena Ryzik (8 April 2011)."TV on the Radio Makes a Film".The New York Times.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^"Watch: TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe Directs Stop-Motion Video for His Band Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band's" The Blast, the Bloom "| News".Pitchfork. 2013-10-21.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^"Higgins Waterproof Black Magic Band - The Blast The Bloom on Vimeo".Vimeo. 2013-10-17.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^"Kristen Wiig Joins Sebastian Silva's Nasty Baby".Variety.2013-09-07.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^Collins, Sean T. (June 28, 2020)."'Perry Mason' Season 1, Episode 2: In the Trenches ".New York Times.Retrieved7 July2020.
- ^"I Would Die for the Elephant Kid on 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew'".Esquire.2024-08-12.Retrieved2024-11-22.
- ^"Comics Time: Plague Hero « Attentiondeficitdisorderly by Sean T. Collins".Seantcollins. 2009-12-18.Retrieved2013-10-30.
- ^"Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio)".walkerart.org. 2016-09-15.Retrieved2017-04-03.
- ^Grobar, Matt (May 17, 2023)."Twisters:Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Kiernan Shipka & David Corenswet Among Final Additions To Lee Isaac Chung's Disaster Pic For Uni, Amblin And Warner Bros ".Deadline Hollywood.Retrieved17 May2023.
External links
edit- Tunde Adebimpediscography atDiscogs
- Tunde AdebimpeatIMDb
