new music: negro galacticus’ debut is a garage rap party #soundcheck

Indie funk quartet Negro Galacticus come by it honestly. Drummer Walty Kibby is the son of Fishbone’s Dirty Walt, guitarist Malik Deering is the nephew of Weapon of Choice’s Lonnie Marshall, and bassist Steve Francell “48” Fortier’s mother was in Hairspray. Apple, tree, et cetera. Their debut record is a shaggy, off-beat, DIY affair worthy of the Fishbone connection.

By Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK Contributor

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The record is fittingly all over the place. From the garage punk of “Space Fish” to the indie hip-hop of “Wildin’ Out.” And it’s hard not to love the nerd-core “Bitch I’m Amazing.” “I’m sick like West Nile / I’m slick like wet tile.” Any band that references Reptar is ok by me. Negro Galacticus get by on a lofi charm, this is a band of friends getting baked and jamming out in their garage in between sessions of Super Smash Bros and long conversations about George Clinton and the Star Wars Extended Universe. When RawDre shouts out “harmonize goddammit!” before the band breaks into an a capella coda of “I’m From The Westside,” it’s impossible not to smile. More than a record, this is a group of friends inviting you to chill with them for 45 minutes.

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The record is free on Bandcamp, so pull up a milkcrate and pass the Modelo.