On the recent installment of Joe Bonamassa’s interview series Live From Nerdville, Joe talks with Grammy winner Fantastic Negrito. The renowned artist shares how he had left music to become a successful marijuana farmer, but ultimately returned to his passion and found new inspirations in the world of music.
“There was a time when I didn’t feel inspired by music, and it was something that really happened. I sold everything I owned. I sold every instrument that I had and settled down and got a farm. I became a marijuana farmer and I thought that I would never play music again. Inspiration is the key to me… I think it’s something that is so under-appreciated – We really need inspiration now. That’s how everything happens, that how you and I were born! Our parents got inspired!” – FN
Fantastic Negrito then details his experience as a young artist in the 90s who had issues with a label that folded, and his early influences from spending time at his father’s guitar shop.
Currently, Fantastic Negrito a lot of inspiration from his family and indulging in modern technology. It makes for an interesting combo. He asks if Joe is a father, to which Joe jokes, “I’m not a dad! This is why I have all this stuff around me and a discretionary income!”
The conversation then moves on to production and quickness of today’s technology.
Fantastic Negrito shares his opinion of the modern era: “I think the internet is terrible. I think one thing we have with the ‘now’ culture is that with these iPhones, we can do everything now. I want my rap just like this, the same beat, etc. When we were growing up, we would think how can I do this? How can I do this; how can I do something different? And I think that’s the missing component in the modern era. Which left room for an old man like me. And for that, I’m grateful!”
Fantastic Negrito goes on to talk more about fatherhood and playing music for his son, and how music is the ultimate connector for humans. “When you are playing music in different places, it doesn’t matter if people are black or white, gay, or straight, Jews, Hindu’s trans, it really doesn’t matter, and you know that! You are connecting with them this force is moving them!”
Fantastic Negrito talks about how boring he is now, his love of community, his store that he owns where he sells records, his farm, and this existence that he lives in now. How it’s not a lot of money but it’s peaceful for him. He says that the beauty for him is that once he was young, beautiful looking and how wanted fame, the best car, being able to act like a star. But when he does it as Fantastic Negrito, he walks around, he doesn’t want anything, and discusses how he can make his own records the way the hell he wants to make them and how it’s peaceful for him!
Culminating the label discussion, the two artists connect about what they describe as “the repressed fantasy mentality,” saying that these are repressed fantasies that some labels have about you and how you should fit in to what they do because they look at the artists as human beings but, in all reality, “we’re just a commodity and expendable like a can of Coke or Pepsi. Once I understood this, I didn’t take it personally, instead just didn’t allow myself to get into that position again.” – FN
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“Live From Nerdville” is a new interview show hosted by Joe Bonamassa featuring music legends and industry pioneers. Recent episodes have included Peter Frampton, Samantha Fish, Ben Folds, Neal Schon of Journey, John Oates of Hall & Oates, Glenn Hughes, Paul Stanley of Kiss, Warren Haynes, Keb’ Mo’, Walter Trout, Steve Lukather of Toto, Bob Lefsetz, esteemed singer-songwriter Dion and more! In each 45 min episode, Joe and his special guest share their personal stories, discuss music, showcase gear, and talk life in the industry and more. With a new episode every Wednesday, fans can watch live on
Joe’s Facebook and
YouTube pages. All episodes are available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Google, Apple, iTunes, etc. Now in its second season, “Live From Nerdville” is currently booking guests for season three. For more information, please contact Cory at Big Hassle Media (
cory@bighassle.com).