Fantastic Negrito, Reignited

How do you pronounce 'Xavier Dphrepaulezz'? If you're Xavier himself, you pronounce it "Fantastic Negrito." To hear the Oakland blues and funk artist tell it, it's more than a stage name — it's the vessel for a new musical incarnation, one that follows years of "street shit," terrible luck, and cultural miscues. The autobiographical story is told in the new record, The Last Days of Oakland, along with a load of observational storytelling from an angry, politically engaged and street-honed performer — all of which is clear on the album. But you can hear the story straight from the artist himself, in a scorching live set and conversation from the Soundcheck studio. Just click the player above.