Regan Farquhar (born February 12, 1978), better known by his stage name Busdriver (sometimes stylized in all caps), is an American rapper and producer from Los Angeles. He has collaborated with rappers such as Myka 9, R.A.P. Ferreira, Nocando, Open Mike Eagle, 2Mex, Aesop Rock and Radioinactive. His primary producers have been Daedelus, Boom Bip, Daddy Kev, Loden, Paris Zax, Omid, Kenny Segal, and Nobody. He has also worked with D-Styles on two albums.
Contents
Biography
Regan Farquhar was born on February 12, 1978, in Los Angeles, California. He was introduced to hip hop at an early age; his father, Ralph Farquhar, wrote the 1985 film Krush Groove. Farquhar began rapping at age nine. By age 13, he was part of the group 4/29, which was inspired by the 1992 Los Angeles riots. At 16, he joined the Project Blowed scene.
In 2002, Busdriver released his solo album, Temporary Forever. In 2004, he released Cosmic Cleavage on Big Dada.
In 2007, Busdriver released RoadKillOvercoat on Epitaph Records. Another solo album, Jhelli Beam, was released on Anti- in 2009. He is the executive producer of Thirsty Fish's 2009 album, Watergate.
In 2010, Busdriver released a free mixtape, Computer Cooties. In that year, he also started a band Physical Forms with Jeff Byron, who is a former member of The Mae Shi. Physical Forms released a split 7-inch single, Hoofdriver, with Deerhoof on Polyvinyl Records. Another of Busdriver's projects is Flash Bang Grenada, a collaboration with the rapper Nocando. The duo released the debut album, 10 Haters, on Hellfyre Club in 2011.
Busdriver released his solo album, Beaus$Eros, on Fake Four Inc. in 2012. Later that year, he released a free EP, Arguments with Dreams. In 2014, he released Perfect Hair on Big Dada.
In 2017, Busdriver appeared on Flying Lotus' directorial debut feature film, Kuso. In 2018, he released a studio album, Electricity Is on Our Side, on Temporary Whatever.
A 2019 analysis of the lyrics employed by the most popular rappers found that Busdriver had the second largest vocabulary of all of them at 7,324 words, after Aesop Rock (at 7,879 words).
Busdriver released the album MADE IN LOVE in 2023 on Temporary Forever. Critic Ben Malkin called it "analogous to little else, truly outsider despite associated perils, and therefore is worthy of distinction."
Discography
Studio albums
Memoirs of the Elephant Man (1999)
Temporary Forever (2002)
The Weather (2003) (with Radioinactive and Daedelus)
Cosmic Cleavage (2004)
Fear of a Black Tangent (2005)
RoadKillOvercoat (2007)
Jhelli Beam (2009)
Beaus$Eros (2012)
Perfect Hair (2014)
Electricity Is on Our Side (2018)
MADE IN LOVE (2023)
Mixtapes
Computer Cooties (2010)
Vidal Folder (2015)
Thumbs (2015)
Compilation albums
This Machine Kills Fashion Tips (2002)
Heavy Items Such as Books, Record Albums, Tools (2003)
Taxed Jumper Mix (2006)
Live albums
Live Airplane Food (2003) (with Daedelus)
Live Radio Concert (2004) (with 2Mex)
Audiobooks
I Don't Write Rhymes, I Write Code (2020)
EPs
Arguments with Dreams (2012)
Singles
"Walking Dead" (2000)
"Get on the Bus" / "Everybody's Stylin'" (2001)
"Party Pooper" / "Buy One Style, Get Second Style Free" (2002)
"Imaginary Places" (2002)
"Touch Type" / "Winthorp & Winthorp" (2003) (with Radioinactive, as The Weather)
"Smart Buyer" (2004)
"Avantcore" (2005)
"Viacom Puppeteer" (2006)
"Kill Your Employer" (2006)
"Sun Shower" (2007)
"Ellen Disingenuous" (2008)
"Me-Time (With the Pulmonary Palimpsest)" (2009)
"I Did Crimes Behind Your Eyelids" / "On the Brink" (2010) (with Deerhoof)
"Leaf House" (2011)
"ATM" (2011)
"Superhands' Mantra" (2012) (with Aesop Rock)
"The Big Think" (2020)
Guest appearances
Fat Jack - "Life or Death" and "Drive Safe" from Cater to the DJ (1999)
The Mind Clouders - "Upside Down 6" from Fake It Until You Make It (1999)
Daddy Kev - "Blowed Anthem" from Lost Angels (2001)
2Mex - "Making Money Off God" from B-Boys in Occupied Mexico (2001)
Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique - “Frisbee” from P.A.I.N.T (2001)
Daedelus - "Quiet Now" from Invention (2002)
Omid - "Shock and Awe" from Monolith (2003)
Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique - “Flow and Tell” from Showtyme (2003)
Daedelus - "Girls" from The Quiet Party (2003)
Haiku d'Etat - "Transitions and Eras" from Coup de Theatre (2004)
TTC - "Latest Dance Craze" from Batards Sensibles (2004)
Daedelus - "Something Bells" from Something Bells (2004)
Shape Shifters - "American Idle" from Was Here (2004)
Mums the Word - "They Wanna Rap" from Constant Evolution (2005)
Onry Ozzborn - "Educated Guess" from In Between (2005)
SonGodSuns - "Minors into Fire" from Over the Counter Culture (2005)
Productions
2Mex - "My Intro Won't Destroy You", "Bluetooth Cyborg", "Career Suicide for Dummies", and "Jolly Rancher" from My Fanbase Will Destroy You (2010)
Open Mike Eagle - "Nightmares (Busdriver Remix)" and "Four Days" from Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door (2011)
Sole - "The Inferno" from A Ruthless Criticism of Everything Existing (2012)
Tera Melos - "Snake Lake (Busdriver Remix)" from X'ed Out Remixes (2013)
Open Mike Eagle - "Deathmate Black" from Dark Comedy (2014)
Billy Woods - "U-Boats" from Today, I Wrote Nothing (2015)