Fantastic Negrito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fantastic Negrito
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Fantastic Negrito at Byron Bay Bluesfest, Australia, 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz |
| Born | January 20, 1968 Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
| Origin | Oakland, California |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1996–2007, 2014–present |
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Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz (born January 20, 1968), known by his stage name Fantastic Negrito, is an American singer and songwriter. He creates music that mixes blues, R&B, and roots music. He has won several Grammy Awards, which are very important music awards.
His album The Last Days of Oakland won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2017. His next album, Please Don't Be Dead, won the same award in 2019. In 2021, his album Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? earned him his third Grammy in a row. His newest album, Son of a Broken Man, came out in 2024.
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Xavier Dphrepaulezz was born in western Massachusetts. He was the eighth of fifteen children in his family. His father was a very religious Muslim.
When Xavier was 12 years old, his family moved to Oakland, California. He became interested in music after listening to Prince's album Dirty Mind. He learned that Prince taught himself to play music, which inspired Xavier to do the same. He would sneak into music classrooms at the University of California, Berkeley to practice and learn.
Music Career Journey
Xavier Dphrepaulezz signed his first record deal with Prince's former manager. In 1993, he signed with Interscope Records. He released his first album, The X Factor, in 1996 under the name Xavier.
In 1999, he was in a serious car crash. He was in a coma for three weeks. After this, his contract with Interscope Records ended. He felt this crash gave him a new start. He then opened an unofficial music club in Los Angeles.
In 2007, Xavier took a break from music. He returned in 2014, using the name Fantastic Negrito. He created a new music style he calls "black roots music for everyone." He released a self-titled album that year.
In 2015, he won a competition called NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. His album The Last Days of Oakland was released in 2016. This album helped him win his first Grammy Award in 2017.
Fantastic Negrito won his second Grammy in 2019 for his album Please Don't Be Dead. He won his third Grammy in 2021 for Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? His fifth album as Fantastic Negrito, White Jesus Black Problems, was released in 2022. An acoustic version of that album, called Grandfather Courage, came out in 2023. His album Son of a Broken Man, which is about his relationship with his father, was released in October 2024.
Albums (Discography)
- The X Factor (1996) (as Xavier)
- Fantastic Negrito (2014)
- The Last Days of Oakland (2016)
- Please Don't Be Dead (2018)
- Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? (2020)
- White Jesus Black Problems (2022)
- Grandfather Courage (2023)
- Son of a Broken Man (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Fantastic Negrito para niños
