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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 to Bruce Springsteen, collaborate in the studio with the likes of Sting and E-40, launch his own Storefront Records label, perform at Lollapalooza, WOMAD, Glastonbury, Newport Folk, Byron 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.
Negrito’s latest release is “Undefeated Eyes” featuring the legendary Sting. The track was born when the two artists met backstage in Taos, New Mexico and connected on the topic of relationships. Sting visited Negrito’s studio in West Oakland, Storefront Records, and the song was recorded in one day. Four years later, it has finally been released to the public. “I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors, both black and white, who showed me that anything is possible,” says Negrito. He draws inspiration from where “the gods of Africa meet the ghosts of Mississippi”.
