Ben Kenney

Kenney played guitar for the hip-hop group the Roots before he joined Incubus in 2003 after the departure of the bass guitarist and founding member Alex Katunich (aka Dirk Lance). He had previously played with Incubus members Mike Einziger and Jose Pasillas in Time Lapse Consortium. By the end of 2023 he had left the band having spent most of the year in recovery from brain tumor surgery and thus unable to participate in their touring. Kenney plays at least six different instruments and sometimes plays drum duets with Incubus' drummer Jose Pasillas live on-stage. He has also done studio work for artists including Justin Timberlake, Faith Evans, Erykah Badu, Musiq Soulchild, Glenn Lewis, Kindred the Family Soul, The Jazzyfatnastees, Jaguar Wright, Larry Gold and Blackalicious, and producers Timbaland, Dre & Vidal and DJ Jazzy Jeff. 26, Maduro, Distance and Comfort, Burn the Tapes, Leave On Your Makeup, and Must Be Nice were all released by Kenney's own record company, Ghetto Crush Industries. Ghetto Crush has also released music for Ashley Mendel, The Division Group, Supergrub, Aleda and Root Valdez. Kenney helped the Smyrk to produce their EP, New Fiction. ==Solo career==

In 1994 Kenney started a band called Racecar with Jimmie Mueller and Sam Hoffman. In 1995 Kenney started a project called Supergrub that went on to record three albums: Norma & Thurselle (1995), Communicator (1996) and Challenger (recorded in 1998 but released in 2000). Challenger featured Chris Shar on bass guitar, vocals and co writing. Challenger also featured guest vocal appearances by Fred “Ted” Kenney Jr., Joe “Joe None” Mattiola of Second To None/Shattered Realm and Q of Q & The J.P. Struggles. He has recorded six solo albums, 26 released on December 1, 2004, Maduro released on March 1, 2006, Distance and Comfort released on January 15, 2008, Burn the Tapes released on October 1, 2010, Leave On Your Makeup released on September 17, 2013, and "Must Be Nice" released on December 25th, 2019. Kenney plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboards and drums while singing and writing every part on the solo records. When touring to support his solo records he plays guitar and sings, accompanied by Ashley Mendel on bass guitar and vocals and Sekou Lumumba on drums. From 2013 to 2014 Simon Harding from the band Fin replaced Lumumba. On January 21, 2025, after a nearly two year hiatus from social media, Kenney announced his new solo album Powerful Buttcheeks, scheduled to release on March 3, 2025, along with a new single titled "Fires". ==Equipment==

Kenney uses Lakland, Serek, Strandberg, Music Man, Gibson, Fender and Hofner guitars and basses. He uses Mesa Boogie amplifiers. His instruments are often modded with pickups made by Seymour Duncan or JBE Pickups. He uses Dunlop strings, effects and accessories. He uses Canopus and DW drums. He also plays Paiste cymbals exclusively. ==Personal life==

In January 2023, Kenney announced that he had a brain tumor removed, and that Tal Wilkenfeld would play bass for Incubus while he recovered from brain surgery. It was later announced that he had departed the band permanently and been replaced by Nicole Row. Both Wilkenfeld and Row were personally chosen by Kenney for the band. Although the surgery successfully removed the tumor, it caused complications such as leaving Kenney permanently deaf in one ear and partial facial paralysis. Kenney is married to Georgia Dolenz, daughter of Micky Dolenz, announced via an Instagram post in July 2025. ==Discography==

===With Incubus=== • A Crow Left of the Murder... (2004) • Light Grenades (2006) • If Not Now, When? (2011) • Trust Fall (Side A) (2015) • 8 (2017) • Trust Fall (Side B) (2020) Solo • 26 (2004) • Maduro (2006) • Distance and Comfort (2008) • Burn the Tapes (2010) • Leave On Your Makeup EP (2013) • Must Be Nice (2019) • Powerful Buttcheeks (2025) ===With The Roots=== • Phrenology (2002) Guest appearances • Justified - Justin Timberlake (guitar on "Right For Me") (2002) ==Notes==