The Collaborator Project: Fantastic Negrito

Welcome to Root City

Introducing episode 2 of The Collaborator Project featuring Fantastic Negrito. This episode is meant to exude the simple message that WE are all in this together. It’s about a man who struggled to “make it”, who “got it”, and then who lost it all, yet somehow managed to find his way back amidst these tumultuous times. The vast spectrum of his song crafting addresses both local and global affairs, while his community actions speak to the heart of the matter – we are all interdependent of one another.

 

 

It all started during the height of the pandemic, when we all felt the need to check in with our roots and uncover what truly grounds us. We discovered a perfect metaphor for that feeling of living with intention when Fantastic Negrito’s team brought the “Root City” music video and song to our attention. We wanted to put our forces together to come up with something beautiful to share that intention with the world. The collaborative idea was simple – they wanted to make a music video for one of his latest songs while engaging in a deeper discussion about Fantastic Negrito’s community driven projects. At the same time, we at Guayakí were looking for ways to continue building community with folks that are following their passions and routing their aspirational paths in fresh directions. Now here we are together today, sharing this episode and Fantastic Negrito’s vision.

 

 

During the creative process and filming of the “Root City” music video, Fantastic Negrito took us on a tour of the Oakland based community initiatives were currently in motion. He gave us a first-hand look at how artists can leverage showing up for their respective communities – not only as a dynamic force for the neighborhood itself, but for anyone and everyone interested in learning about how they can participate. We love Fantastic Negrito’s ideology behind blending post consumerism concepts, such as growing your own food, organizing makers’ markets, selling used records, and upcycling vintage fashion, into a unique expression that aligns positive messaging with community connection.

 

 

Just as Fantastic Negrito’s music weaves genres into a powerful celebration of blues, funk, hip hop, country, and rock n’ roll, Guayakí hopes to do the same with the way we approach sharing yerba mate with the world. We encourage you to check this episode and Fantastic Negrito’s work. It’s a timely look at how creativity can lead to amazing answers for the questions we are all asking ourselves… Where am I along my journey? Where are we going as a society? What should we do to show up for the greater good of all people everywhere?

 

 

Big thanks to Fantastic Negrito and his team! We truly appreciate this unique look into the world that you’re building in your own backyard.

COME TO LIFE