“Undefeated Eyes” by Fantastic Negrito feat. Sting is our OneRPM Hitmaker this week!
Renowned musician Fantastic Negrito has returned with a new single, featuring legendary guitarist Sting.
Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, better known as Fantastic Negrito, was born in Oakland, California. As a teenager, he listened to Dirty Mind and learned that Prince was a self-taught musician. Looking for a change, Prince inspired him to transition his effort from crime to music.
Fantastic Negrito eventually struck up a deal with Prince’s former manager and signed to a label under the name Xavier. However, this deal turned out to be a bust. In 1999, Fantastic Negrito was involved in a near-fatal crash, leaving him in a coma for three weeks. A horrifying experience, it led to an unexpected silver lining, his record label finally terminated his contract.
After his accident, he rebranded himself.
HE moved to L.A he opened an illegal nightclub named “Club Bingo”. During this time he continued his music career under several pennames, but none of them quite stuck. He returned to Oakland and took a hiatus from music in 2007. There he settled down on a farm, got married, and raised his son. However, his music mission was far from complete.
In 2014, under his new stage name Fantastic Negrito, he released a self-titled EP. The following year he won NPRs first-ever Tiny Desk Contest, sparking massive public interest in his work. In 2016 the Fantastic Negrito went on to release the album The Last Days of Oakland. This album brought home his first of three consecutive Grammys.
The Fantastic Negrito is bridging the gap between modern and classic R&B blues.
Funky, soulful, and attention-grabbing, there is no way you can miss the display of power that Negrito brings. Using quintessential whirling keys, juxtaposed against modern rich drums and crisp guitar, Negrito has proven himself to be an unforgettable artist time and time again. Stings feature on this piece gives way to an even more gritty and hard-hitting. Together, their unique styles create both dissonance and a beautiful resolution.
“Undefeated Eyes” tells the story of infidelity and misplaced trust.
We travel through the low points of a relationship, listening and waiting for the climax. You watch the struggle of accepting personal faults in a relationship, and what it means to take the blame. The repetition of the line “It’ll never be the same”, makes it clear that Fantastic Negrtio has already processed the loss.
Listen to “Undefeated Eyes” by Fantastic Negrito feat. Sting down below!
Tune into 100.1 FM or lightning100.com all weekend to hear “Undefeated Eyes” by Fantastic Negrito, our ONErpm Hitmaker Alert this week!
