Chester Hansen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hansen at the 2017 Haldern Pop Festival | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Chester Anton Mathias Hansen[1] (1992-05-01)May 1, 1992 (age 33) Ottawa, Ontario |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2010–present |
| Member of | BadBadNotGood |
Chester Anton Mathias Hansen (born May 1, 1992) is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as bassist of instrumental groupBADBADNOTGOOD. As aGrammy Award-winning songwriter, Hansen often works with his bandmates and producerFrank Dukes and is credited for co-writing hit songs byDrake,Kendrick Lamar,Daniel Caesar, andKali Uchis, among others.
Hansen was born on May 1, 1992, inOttawa, Ontario.[2][3] He was raised in theNepean area of the city and attendedCanterbury High School, a local arts magnet school.[4] Growing up, he played piano and shifted his focus to the bass during high school.[4] Beginning in his teens, Hansen worked on and released music which combined hip-hop, jazz, and electronic influences.[5]
In 2010, Hansen began attendingHumber College in Toronto to study music performance.[4][6] In his first year, he met fellow music studentsAlexander Sowinski andMatthew Tavares and began collaborating with them, creating what would become BADBADNOTGOOD. The band had viral success in 2011 after posting jazz covers ofOdd Future songs online, and released their debut record that Fall. He withdrew from school in February 2012.[7]
With BBNG, Hansen has released five full-length albums, including a collaborative record withGhostface Killah, and has been short-listed for thePolaris Music Prize twice.
In the early 2010s, Hansen began working with close BBNG collaboratorFrank Dukes. 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."[8] 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.
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."[9]
As a bassist, Hansen often plays aGibson Grabber and a vintageGibson SB-300. He employs a variety of basses in live settings including aGallien-Krueger 800/700 RB (with an 8×10 GKcab), aGallien-Krueger Fusion 500 (with a 4×10 Kicker CX cab), and aD’Angelico Excel SD.[10][11] He has commented that he likes to use thick flat-wound strings far off of the neck.[9]
Additionally, Hansen often plays keyboards on records. He hasperfect pitch.[12]
With BADBADNOTGOOD
Partial discography, adapted fromSOCAN.[13] Note, Hansen's work is sometimes incorrectly credited to C. John "Jack" Hansen, a producer notable for his work withBuddy Holly.[14][15]
Notable credits include,
As part of BADBADNOTGOOD
As producer and songwriter
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Note | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap Song | "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" (Drake) | Nominated | With Frank Dukes, et al. | |
| Best Rap Performance | Nominated | |||||
| ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award | R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | Won | ||||
| 2016 | SOCAN Songwriting Prize | "Paradise" (Daniel Caesar) | Nominated | With BBNG, et al. | ||
| 2018 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards | R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | "Sex with Me" (Rihanna) | Won | With Frank Dukes, et al. | |
| Grammy Awards | Album of the Year | DAMN. (Kendrick Lamar) | Nominated | With BBNG, et al. | ||
| Best Rap Album | Won | |||||
| SOCAN Awards | R&B Music | "Get You" (Daniel Caesar) | Won | [26] | ||
| 2019 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards | R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | Won | [27] | ||
| Grammy Awards | Album of the Year | Black Panther: The Album | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Best Progressive R&B Album | It Is What It Is (Thundercat) | Won | [28] | ||
....Chester Hansen, age 19...
I mean, I was only [at Humber] for a year and a half and it's a four year programme.
