Fantastic Negrito, whose real name is Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, is a contemporary American blues artist revered for his rousing live performances and a poignant backstory of resilience and reinvention. Born on January 20, 1968, in Massachusetts, Negrito's early exposure to African-American entertainment by his orthodox Muslim father planted the seeds for his musical aspirations. However, his journey was far from straightforward; after a short-lived deal with Interscope Records in the 1990s and a near-fatal car crash that left him in a coma, Negrito vanished from the music scene for many years.

Re-emerging as Fantastic Negrito in the 2010s, he redefined himself with a sound deeply rooted in blues, R&B, and roots music, wrapped with modern storytelling and a socio-political twist. His reinvention paid off when he won NPR's Tiny Desk Contest in 2015, catapulting him to fame. Since then, he has released several critically acclaimed albums such as "The Last Days of Oakland" (2016), which earned him his first Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and subsequent wins in the same category for "Please Don't Be Dead" (2018) and "Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?" (2020). His most recent works reflect his continued evolution as an artist, blending acoustic sounds with soul-searching lyrics, as seen in tracks like "Oh Betty (Acoustic)" and "Highest Bidder (Acoustic)". His contribution to the soundtrack of the animated series "Arcane: League of Legends" with "When Everything Went Wrong" demonstrates his versatility and ability to connect with audiences across different mediums. Meanwhile, collaborations like "Rolling Through California" with Miko Marks showcase his commitment to celebrating and elevating the voices of fellow black artists.

Genres

Bay Area Indie

Modern Blues

Modern Blues Rock

Related Artists

Gary Clark Jr.

Leon Bridges

Alabama Shakes

The Black Keys

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Son Little

Michael Kiwanuka

Curtis Harding

Marcus King

Benjamin Booker

Anderson East

Latest Release

Son of a Broken Man

Fantastic Negrito

Album - 14 Tracks - Released October 18, 2024