In a world where everyone is streaming opinions faster than they stream music, Fantastic Negrito cuts through the noise like a blade, wielding honesty as sharp as his sound. Fresh off a performance with Chris Cornell and armed with his blistering LP The Last Days of Oakland, Negrito is living proof that rock ‘n’ roll is still a battlefield—and he’s got the scars to prove it.
“I’m a recovering narcissist,” he tells me during our conversation, a phrase that feels more like a confession than a quip. But isn’t that Fantastic Negrito in a nutshell? A man who has lived multiple lives, survived catastrophic failures, and somehow found clarity in the chaos.
To call The Last Days of Oakland a statement album would be an understatement. It’s a raw, defiant howl that blends blues, rock, and gospel into a Molotov cocktail aimed at systemic injustice, gentrification, and the fractured American Dream. Tracks like “Working Poor” hit harder than a gut punch, while “About a Bird” soars with bittersweet introspection.
But the road to Oakland was long and winding. Negrito’s first brush with fame came in the ’90s, when a major-label deal positioned him as a potential R&B savior. That chapter ended in flames—literally, after a car accident left him in a coma and permanently changed his playing abilities.
“I quit music,” he admits, his tone equal parts resignation and relief. “I thought, ‘I’ve got nothing to say.’”
Life wasn’t done with him. A stint farming medical marijuana, attempts at polygamy (“Didn’t work out,” he laughs), and the birth of his son brought him back to music with a renewed sense of purpose.
“It was my kid,” he says, recalling the moment he played a simple G chord that lit up his toddler’s face. “He reminded me what music could do.”
And so, Fantastic Negrito was born. Again.
If his EP Fantastic Negrito was a calling card, The Last Days of Oakland is the declaration. It’s a reflection of America’s fractures, delivered with a preacher’s fire and a poet’s soul.
“This record is a mirror,” he explains. “It’s about what we’ve done to each other, what we’re doing to ourselves. It’s about waking up and making a choice.”
Negrito doesn’t just talk the talk—he walks it. His lyrics tackle everything from police brutality to economic disparity with unflinching honesty. “We can’t look to politicians,” he says. “It’s up to us, the artists, to say something medicinal, something healing.”
Despite the album’s heavy themes, Negrito’s story is ultimately one of redemption. After years of running, he returned to Oakland not as a fugitive, but as a builder.
“I came back with a cane and a limp,” he jokes, “but I came back to people who loved me.”
He speaks about investing in his community, forming a collective of artists and hustlers who pooled their resources to support each other. “When you invest in people,” he says, “it comes back tenfold. Even for the greediest of us.”
As he tours the world, Negrito is adamant that his mission is far from over. Whether headlining clubs or opening for rock royalty, he sees his music as a conduit for connection.
“Every night, I want to reach out to my human family,” he says. “We’ve got to sprinkle love into everything we do—whether you’re a cop, a DJ, or a dude at Costco.”
And with that, he straps on his guitar and gets back to work. Fantastic Negrito isn’t just making music—he’s making noise. And in a world desperate for truth, his voice has never been louder.
Listen to the full interview above and then check out the video below.
