The life of Fantastic Negrito has been a rich tapestry of experiences. His early days were spent hustling on the streets of Oakland, California to find a first opportunity in music. And that paid off, leading to a major label deal which promised so much until he was almost killed in a car crash. Two decades later he started again from scratch, his talents finally recognised with three Grammy Awards, opening for Bruce Springsteen and a collaboration with Sting. Yet the best is still emerging from this singular figure, as evidenced with today’s release of his new album ‘Son of a Broken Man’. Listen HERE.
‘Son of a Broken Man’ is an autobiographical account of a father/son relationship that never flourished. Fantastic Negrito’s father had some positive character traits, but being a parent certainly wasn’t one of them. Snapshots of his life build a bigger picture of a man moving from youth into middle-age without the guiding hand of a father figure. What emerges is a seesaw of emotions: he wants there to be a loving relationship, but there’s also clear resentment that it never happened. There’s no happy ending or big moment of self-discovery, just the gradual realisation that he has to make his own path.
Fantastic Negrito, real name Xavier Dphrepaulezz, says, “When I was 12-years-old, my dad stopped talking to me and kicked me out of the house. I never saw him again and he ended up dying while I was in foster care. This is me talking to him and telling him what I’ve done with my life. This album tells the story of many parents and children. I hope you can take something meaningful from it.”
The album’s current single ‘I Hope Somebody’s Loving You’ is one of the tenderest moments of a raw, introspective collection. Such is its timelessness, from its warm emotion to his remarkable, soothing soulful vocal tone, you could readily believe that this bluesy, R&B track is a lost classic from the ‘60s.
He explains, “Try not to cheat on your woman, try not to cheat on your man. I’ve been on tour a long time. I’ve spent so many days, weeks and months away from home and encountered so many beautiful people on the planet and this just became a common theme in my head and heart – I hope we are all experiencing a version of love.”
The track’s style represents just one edge of the vast spectrum of sounds Fantastic Negrito covers on the album. There’s also funk, gospel, classic rock, neo-R&B, folk and psychedelia, all united by the versatile yet consistently exceptional quality of his vocal, which ensures his stories of the past are vibrant in the present day. Given its personal touch, it’s unsurprising that the entire set was written and produced by him alone.
‘Son of a Broken Man’ is also effectively a sequel to his 2022 album ‘White Jesus Black Problems’. Whereas this record documents the 1970s to the present day, ‘White Jesus Black Problems’ charted his family heritage from the 1750s through to the start of the 20th century. It’s a sprawling real life narrative that encompasses racial oppression, battling against societal expectations, the aftermath of slavery, and surprise, life-changing revelations.
Fantastic Negrito is about to play shows in South America, before touring across the UK and Europe and then ending the year at the DeFord Bailey Legacy Festival in Berkeley, California. His UK dates are below, please see HERE for tickets and a list of all upcoming international shows:
OCTOBER
29th – London, Islington Assembly Hall
30th – Gloucester, Guildhall
31st – Manchester, The Blues Kitchen
