Flying Lotus is the moniker used by Steven Ellison, a producer, DJ, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist from Los Angeles, California. Born on October 7, 1983, the 38-year-old artist occasionally releases music as FlyLo or Captain Murphy.
Steven has been making music since 2005, and he’s known for blending a number of genres, including jazz, hip-hop, electronica, IDM, experimental, and more. He’s collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces, Toro y Moi, David Lynch, Anderson .Paak, and more. He also founded Brainfeeder Records back in 2008. He’s recently begun working as a film composer, contributing original music to the soundtrack for a Blade Runner: 2049 short film.
Flying Lotus is something of an anomaly in the music industry for a variety of reasons. His sound refuses to be categorized or defined, and he’s continued to innovate for over 15 years as a producer. In addition, all of his albums and side projects have received critical acclaim – you’d be hard-pressed to find a miss in his discography. While most critics highlight You’re Dead and Cosmogramma as his best work, all of Lotus’s albums are fresh and interesting.