He already had a record deal at the end of the nineties but then he was involved in a car accident that left him in a coma for three weeks. His career didn't take off and in 2007 Fantastic Negrito (real name Xavier Dphrepaulezz) completely stopped making music. However, the birth of his son saw him reborn as a musician – and what a musician! Negrito is inspired by the blues and his music has a punk attitude and strong soul influences. His album The Last Days Of Oakland tells the story of his oh so very hip city, where you can indulge your desire for exotic blends of coffee on every street corner. But Fantastic Negrito's Oakland is no hipster paradise; it is grimmer, poverty stricken and bursting with racism and protest. It made a 21st century classic sound of a man with a guitar and a story to tell.
