by Jon Bauer
Kicking off the 2025 Noise Pop Festival with a bang, the Richmond District’s 4-Star Theater hosted a showing of Fantastic Negrito’s short film White Jesus Black Problems followed by a Q&A by the man himself. Closing out the show was a short but soulful performance with Fantastic Negrito and his keyboardist Bryan Simmons.
It has been 10 years since Fanstastic Negrito (AKA Xavier Dphrepaulezz) entered and WON The Tiny Desk Concert contest with a video filmed in a freight elevator in Oakland with a cell phone. This single event changed the artist – one that spent all of his free time busking at a BART station – into a multi-grammy winning, world beating, genre defining powerhouse. His career in the last 10 years is stuff of legends – he’s collaborated and performed his signature music with the likes of Sting, ZZ Ward, E-40, Tank and The Bangas, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Cornell, and Bruce Springsteen, and many others.
His journey has been amazing:
Dphrepaulezz, born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, faced adversity early on – leaving home at 12 and navigating a challenging upbringing. Despite these obstacles, he pursued music, eventually signing a major label deal with Interscope. The major label experience proved to be stifling for Dphrepaulezz, leading to frustration and ultimately a near-fatal car accident that served as a turning point. After years away from music, Dphrepaulezz rediscovered his passion for music, drawing inspiration from the blues and embracing his own unique sound. Embracing his own path, Dphrepaulezz found success outside the traditional music industry, leveraging online platforms and cultivating a dedicated fanbase. His story is a powerful example of resilience, perseverance, and the importance of staying true to oneself in the face of adversity.
His 2022 album and film of the same name, “White Jesus Black Problems,” delves into the complex history of interracial relationships in America, specifically focusing on his own family’s lineage. Key themes include: Forbidden Love: The album and film center around the story of Dphrepaulezz’s 7th great-grandmother, a white indentured servant from Scotland, who formed a common-law marriage with an enslaved African-American man. This interracial relationship was illegal and taboo during that period. The Legacy of Slavery: The project explores the enduring impact of slavery on American society, examining issues such as racial inequality, systemic racism, and the complexities of interracial relationships. Family History and Identity: Dphrepaulezz’s personal journey of discovering his family history serves as a powerful exploration of identity and the complexities of ancestry. Hope and Resilience: Despite the historical injustices and social barriers, the album and film ultimately convey a message of hope and resilience, celebrating the strength and enduring power of love and family across racial lines.
Employing music and dance as storytelling, the film is visually compelling in its use of symbolism and abstraction. Different time periods are juxtaposed and woven together with a voice over.
While the film and music are both spectacular, the most interesting part of the evening was listening to Dphrepaulezz reflect on his life and artistic process. The music and the film evolved simultaneously during the pandemic. When struck by an idea, he would reach out to whomever happened to cross his path at that moment asking, “Want to be in my movie?” A question about his own contemporary musical interests led to a touching description of fatherly focus on his children’s musical interests.
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