GTC DEEP CUTS: FANTASTIC NEGRITO It’s a Long, Long Road
It’s a Long, Long Road is available on Fantastic Negrito EP, Tidal, Deezer
by Walter Price
Multi-Grammy award-winning Fantastic Negrito’s Journey is the stuff movies are made of. An excerpt from his bio goes into a paired-down version of his origin story, “Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, by now much has been made of Negrito’s own unique story—his early years growing up in an orthodox Muslim household, the doomed major label deal that turned him off of the music industry altogether, the near-fatal car cash that permanently damaged his guitar playing hand—as well as the remarkable redemption arc that began in 2015, when he won the first-ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest. In the years that followed, Negrito would go on to take home three consecutive GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album, tour with everyone from Sturgill Simpson to Chris Cornell, collaborate in the studio with the likes of Sting and E-40, launch his own Storefront Records label, perform at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Newport Folk, Bryon Bay Blues, and nearly every other major festival on the map, and found the Revolution Plantation, an urban farm aimed at youth education and empowerment.”
Legendary.
By now, you’ve probably already heard his phenomenal family roots album ‘White Jesus Black Problems‘. A picturesque set Negrito describes as, “At the end of the day, this is a record about love. There’s a feeling out there right now that we can’t get anything done because we’re so polarized, so entrenched in our ideologies, and unmoved by facts or logic, but I wanted to share this story because I think it smashes that narrative to pieces. Despite the horrific challenges these two-faced, they found a way to be together, and the ripple effects of that act of love have been reverberating for hundreds of years.”
But for the money, you should go back to the self-titled EP that was a sort of rebirth for Negrito. Released in 2014, this album is a blast of pure emotion, raw vigor, and brimming with truths. And, if you ask me, there’s no better place to start with the album than “It’s a Long, Long Road”. Funky 1970s-style arrangement reminiscent of Mungo Jerry or ZAPP. Some real grooves going down.
Fantastic Negrito’s entire catalog is a must for any melomaniac. But for today, give “It’s a Long, Long Road” a stream or many, on the heaviest level your music device can handle.
FANTASTIC NEGRITO It’s a Long, Long Road
Artist photo and artwork via Bandcamp // Quotes via fantasticnegrito.com
Written and produced by Xavier Dphrepaulezz
facebook // bandcamp // twitter
When you was hungry, girl you came knocking at my door
I fed you misery, still you kept coming back for more (back for more)
My heart was homeless, my lust for vampires and whores
You sang sweet love songs that I had never heard before
Now you got me huh?