From Pittsburgh to LA, from high school football to the Super Bowl halftime show, Jonny Goood has never shied away from big, bold moves. But then, you don’t become Lady Gaga’s bassist by being a wallflower. 

A more accurate word would be “go-getter.” From hours spent honing his craft in a Pennsylvania dorm room on a $50 bass, Goood has since brought his drive to a star-studded resume of collaborations. The list includes Keyshia Cole, Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd, childhood best friend Wiz Khalifa, Jhené Aiko, Joe Jonas, and most recently, performing with Lady Gaga on her Joanne and Enigma world tours (including performances at Coachella and Super Bowl LI.) Not to mention featuring on five tracks for the award-winning soundtrack to her smash hit film A Star Is Born—including a 2019 Grammy nod for Best Song Written for Visual Media, “I’ll Never Love Again.”

Now, however, Goood is ready to step into the spotlight on his own. And with his upcoming album, Bass Hop 2020, he doesn’t ask for a place there. He simply takes it.

Clever, confident rhymes are shot out with smooth and impressive flow over searing guitar riffs, intricate percussion, and his trademark, pulse-pounding bass. It’s an innovative fusion of no-holds-barred hip-hop and old-school rock—or in his words, “bass hop.” Goood’s influences range from classics like Chuck Berry, Prince, and LL Cool J to more recent rock/rap pioneers such as The Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jay-Z. But his sound, his journey—and yes, his explosive stage presence—are entirely his own.

From the first lines of album opener “Logan” (“My axe will drop like an atomic bomb, I’ll cut through the fog…”) to the chorus of the final song, “Remains” (“I’m killin’ the game/and I’m burnin’ away the remains”), Bass Hop 2020 shows Goood at his most confident. And there’s plenty of rapid-fire bite to back up his bark. Along the way, he offers feel-good party jams; contemplative tracks; and in-your-face walls of sound. It’s a mixture as varied as the musical talents of Goood himself (who also plays the keys, guitar, drums, and clarinet, and took the reins as a composer and producer on the album.) 

In the sixth track, “Used To,” Goood sums it up best: “This shit’s intentional.” It’s music that believes in itself so much, you have no choice but to believe in it—and maybe yourself—too.