Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music by Fantastic Negrito & Friends, Poetry and Hip Hop by Let’s Lab with KDThe Poet!, Gallery Chats, and DJ set with Mani Draper

Friday Night’s at OMCA presents an electrifying evening with Oakland’s own Fantastic Negrito & Friends as he takes the stage alongside some of his favorite musicians in the Bay Area. Join us for an immersive performance that plays with the boundaries between funk, rock, soul, and blues to produce  a unique and captivating experience. More boundaries are broken as Let’s Lab with KD the Poet! makes the mundane fantastic as he centers everyday life in his blend of soulful lyricism and tempered production. The night will be further filled with the groovy blend of rap, soul, R&B, and Afrobeats emanating from Bay Area DJ Mani Draper, all excellent energy to intercut with engaging discussion facilitated by the Gallery Chats taking place in our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya.

Program Schedule: 

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions  evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6:30 pm Let’s Lab with KD the Poet! | Core Gallery

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall 

6:30 —7:30 pm Fantastic Negrito & Friends  | The Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm Mani Draper  | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

Accessibility 

Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email [email protected] at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, by now much has been made of Negrito’s own unique story—his early years growing up in an orthodox Muslim household, the doomed major label deal that turned him off of the music industry altogether, the near-fatal car cash that permanently damaged his guitar playing hand—as well as the remarkable redemption arc that began in 2015, when he won the first ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest. In the years that followed, Negrito would go on to take home three consecutive GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album, tour with everyone from Sturgill Simpson to Chris Cornell, collaborate in the studio with the likes of Sting and E-40, launch his own Storefront Records label, perform at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Newport Folk, Bryon Bay Blues, and nearly every other major festival on the map, and found the Revolution Plantation, an urban farm aimed at youth education and empowerment.

Kameron Douglass, known by his stage name KD the Poet, hails from Berkeley, California. His music blends soulful lyricism with laid-back production, offering insightful reflections on the universal experiences of everyday life. With his unique style, KD captures the essence of human emotions and encounters, making him a compelling voice in the hip-hop scene

Armani Jackson, known as Mani Draper, hails from Richmond, CA, and has made significant strides in the music industry. Debuting with “Last Marauder,” his LP released through Empire Distribution in San Francisco, featured notable production collaborations. His single “Reloaded” gained international acclaim, propelling DJ Flow, Mani, and the crew on a successful European tour.

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.