Asa Taccone

Asa Taccone (born September 21, 1981) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and frontman of the band Electric Guest with whom he has released four albums since 2012. He is noted as a close collaborator of The Lonely Island, and has contributed to their musical work on Saturday Night Live and a number of their films. He also has written music for other comedy film and television projects including American Dad! and Portlandia.

Early life Asa Taccone was born on September 21, 1981 , the second son of Suellen Ehnebuske and Tony Taccone (a theater director) in Berkeley, California. His brother is Jorma Taccone, a former writer for Saturday Night Live and one third of the comedy music trio The Lonely Island. He is of mixed Italian and Puerto Rican ancestry on his father's side.

His interest in music began playing trumpet in his elementary school choir during religious holidays; the choir director included a bongo section where he and other children could sing and play the drums. Taccone was eventually kicked out of his high school, and sent to a boot camp that he could only leave on the weekends.

While there, he began to frequent a local Dunkin' Donuts.

Career Taccone had long been a fan of hip hop music, and was influenced by Bay Area rappers like Souls Of Mischief, E-40, and Mac Dre. He moved on to synths and started producing hip hop music, however, he eventually grew weary of the "bullshit" of the hip-hop world.

Jorma asked his friend Brian Burton (professionally known as Danger Mouse) to listen to some of Asa's music over the phone. Burton recommended that Asa take his former room in a boarding house full of musicians.

Initially, Taccone found it difficult to collaborate with others creatively, after years of writing alone.

Taccone is credited as a writer and the sole producer of the Portugal. The Man single, “Dummy.”

Reception

The Guardian calls Taccone "a strutting junior Jagger with an androgynous falsetto prepared to front EG's tunes with as much gall as it takes."

Discography

With Electric Guest

Mondo (2012) Plural (2017) Kin (2019) 10K (2025)

Production

Songwriting for media

Collaborations with the Lonely Island Saturday Night Live (2005–2008) – composer/additional music; 17 episodes Hot Rod (2007) – songwriter Incredibad (2009) – The Lonely Island MacGruber (2010) – additional instrumentations; film "Motherlover" (2011) – from The Lonely Island album Turtleneck & Chain The Wack Album (2013) – The Lonely Island 7 Days in Hell (2015) – music consultant; TV film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (Original Soundtrack) (2016) — The Lonely Island

Composition for theater and film Bridge and Tunnel (2006) – music Taking Over (2009) – music Lemony Snicket’s The Composer Is Dead (2010) – film underscoring American Dad (2011–2020) – composer/voice actor; 7 episodes Neal Brennan: 3 Mics (2017) – composer

Awards 2009 - Won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics – "Dick in a Box"