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 as Fantastic Negrito, is an American singer and songwriter. His music mixes blues, R&B, and roots music. He has won several Grammy Awards for his albums.
His album The Last Days of Oakland won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2017. In 2019, his album Please Don't Be Dead won the same award. His 2020 album, Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?, also won him a Grammy. His newest album, Son of a Broken Man, came out in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Xavier Dphrepaulezz was born in western Massachusetts. He was the eighth of fifteen children in his family. When he was 12, his family moved to Oakland, California.
He became interested in music after hearing Prince's album Dirty Mind. He learned that Prince taught himself music. This inspired Xavier to teach himself how to play. He would sneak into music classrooms at the University of California Berkeley to practice.
Music Career
Xavier Dphrepaulezz signed his first record deal in 1993 with Interscope Records. In 1996, he released his first album, The X Factor, 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 ended. He felt this crash gave him a new start.
Fantastic Negrito's Return
In 2007, Dphrepaulezz took a break from music. He started his career again in 2014. He chose the stage name Fantastic Negrito. He created a new music style he calls "black roots music for everyone."
He released a self-titled album in 2014. In 2015, he won NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. This contest helps new musicians get noticed.
Grammy Award Success
In 2016, his album The Last Days of Oakland was released. This album won his first Grammy Award in 2017. It was named Best Contemporary Blues Album.
His next album, Please Don't Be Dead, won his second Grammy in 2019. He won his third Grammy in 2021 for his album Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?.
Fantastic Negrito released his fifth album, White Jesus Black Problems, in 2022. An acoustic version of that album, called Grandfather Courage, came out in 2023. His album Son of a Broken Man was released in October 2024. This album was inspired by his relationship with his father.
Albums
- 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
