On October 15th, Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, better known by his stage name Fantastic Negrito, released his seventh album, “Son of a Broken Man” at Sony Hall, New York City. Like many artists, his music (blues, R & B and “roots music”) is autobiographical, expressive of the lows of deterioration and destruction as a homeless teenage drug dealer, broken by the foster care system and a car crash that left him in a coma for three weeks. Eventually he was re-directed on a path of recovery and redemption through songwriting and performance. His “breakout” recognition was that of winner of the 2015 NPR Tiny Desk Contest, specifically with his song, “Lost in A Crowd”. Then, within a brief period of four years (2017 through 2021) he won three Grammy Awards all for Best Contemporary Blues Album. His first Grammy, in 2017, “The Last Days of Oakland” reflected on his life after his family moved from Massachusetts to Oakland, California. His second and third Grammys were awarded in 2019 and 2021 for “Please Don’t Be Dead” and “Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?” respectively. In his “Son of a Broken Man”, Sony Hall performance, Negrito returns to his theme of abandonment as a young boy coupled with deception with songs like “First To Betray Me”, “Run Away From You” and “California Loner”. His sound ranges from acoustical ballad to electric and slide guitar, drums and piano, heavily influenced by Lead Belly and Skip James. His lyrics are deeply personal and revealing.
See www.fantasticnegrito.com
Review and Photos by Maria Passannante-Derr
