Theophilus London

Last updated

Theophilus London
Theophilus London SXSW 2009 (3377433755).jpg
London performing in 2009
Background information
Birth nameTheophilus Musa London
Born (1987-02-23) February 23, 1987 (age 37)
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Origin New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2007–present
Labels

Theophilus Musa London (born February 23, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. [1] He is best known for his guest appearance alongside Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney on Kanye West's 2015 single "All Day", which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received two Grammy Award nominations. London has also worked on West's demo album Donda 2 (2022), as well as several of his unreleased projects.

Contents

London has worked in the fashion industry and conducted fashion campaigns for designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Virgil Abloh, and Gucci. [2] He has designed footwear for companies including Cole Haan, and has modeled for Tommy Hilfiger. [3]

Early life and education

London was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and later moved to New York City, [3] specifically Flatbush, Brooklyn. [4] He then moved to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, where he attended his junior and senior years of high school. He graduated in 2006 from Pocono Mountain East High School in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania. [5] London grew up around Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Jamaican diasporas, going to local halls to learn the newest dances from Jamaica. [2] He bought bootleg copies of albums by artists like Jay-Z, Mase, and Busta Rhymes. London's first performance was in 2002 at a local fair in Flatbush at the age of 16. [6] After hearing his own recording around 2004-2005, London decided he wanted to pursue a career in the music industry. [1] [7]

Career

London released his first mixtape "JAM!" in 2008. His second mixtape "This Charming Mixtape" came out in 2009 and his third mixtape "I Want You" in 2010. London's first tour was in 2009 alongside MeLo-X who was his DJ [8] while his backing band was Body Language who he helped introduce to the final member to make the band a quartet. [9]

London in 2011 Theophilus London (2011).jpg
London in 2011

His debut EP Lovers Holiday, released on Warner Bros. Records on February 7, 2011, featured TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, Sara Quin from Tegan and Sara, Glasser, and Solange Knowles. [10] His full-length debut album Timez Are Weird These Days , mixed by producer Dan Carey, was released by Warner Brothers on July 19, 2011. [11]

London was one of the headliners of the Northside Festival in Brooklyn in June 2011. [12] On June 30, London performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, in response to which the Montreal Gazette remarked "Theophilus London is going to be big. Very big. The buzz has been building for some time." [13] Also in 2011, he was featured on the 90210 episode Up in Smoke.

On February 22, 2012, London introduced his new single "Big Spender" to a select New York audience at the Encore Sessions at le Baron Chinatown. [14] In March 2012, he performed with Solange at South by Southwest. He had previously introduced Solange to Dev Hynes, and the two went on to collaborate extensively on her 2012 EP True. [15] London later released his mixtape "Rose Island Vol. 1" in July. He performed at Wireless Festival, Poolbar Festival, and RockNess in 2012, and Coachella in April 2013.

London's fashion relationships blossomed after his picture was published in Karl Lagerfeld's 2012 book The Little Black Jacket. [16] After the book release, London was invited to perform at various parties for Chanel, playing in countries like Monaco for their local royalty. Around this time, Kanye West befriended London, the two would go out for dinners and shop for clothing together. West would take him to other countries like Mexico where they would go over album concepts together and play basketball. [17]

In September 2013, London revealed that his new album Vibes , was dedicated to his aunt who had died recently. In the meantime, his EP "Lovers Holiday II" was released. In September 2014, it was announced that his new album would be released in October and was executive produced by Kanye West [18] and Leon Ware, with art direction from Virgil Abloh and Karl Lagerfeld. [1] [17] For the project London bought a house in Palm Springs, Florida, where he worked for over a year with Leon Ware there writing the project. [19] The album was a flop with less than 3000 units sold. [2] He was featured on Azealia Banks' song "JFK" off her debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste , released in November 2014, Banks wrote London's verse for the only guest feature on the album. [4] That same month, London performed with Jesse Boykins III on the Late Show with David Letterman. [20]

"All Day" was released in March 2015. London performed the single alongside Kanye at the Brit Awards. Later in 2015, London went on his Vibes tour, having Doja Cat and Father open. [21] London also performed at Rock in Rio USA. In February 2016, "All Day" was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. In November 2016, London released the song "Revenge" with Ariel Pink. The song interpolated New Musik's song "They All Run After the Carving Knife", from the band's second album Anywhere . [22]

After his second album Vibes was released, London felt disenfranchised. Briefly deleting his social media accounts, he left his contract with Warner Records to go independent in 2017. [2] In 2018, London was a runway model in a Louis Vuitton campaign. [1] That October, he released the song "Whiplash" with Tame Impala, which took three years to make. [23] Together, they also covered the song "Only You" by Steve Monite. [24] In 2019, London's third EP "Lovers Holiday III" was released. In January 2020, London released his third studio album Bebey. In March 2022, he performed a show for Black History Month in the United Kingdom. [25]

Artistry

London's genre blending includes soul-pop, post-punk, electro and contemporary R&B. He has cited influences such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Kraftwerk, The Smiths, [26] Morrissey, Marvin Gaye, [3] Young Thug, and Skepta. Additionally, London has mentioned James Brown and Michael Jackson as performance inspirations. [4]

Personal life

In 2014, London moved from New York to Los Angeles, with his pet dog, and bought a house that formerly belonged to Humphrey Bogart in the Hollywood Hills neighbourhood. [17]

London's social media accounts, mainly Instagram, have allegedly been the subject of several hacks and privacy breaches. [27] [28] [29]

In December 2022, London's family filed a missing persons report with the Los Angeles Police Department. According to his family, he went missing on October 15, 2022, and was last seen in Skid Row, Los Angeles. [30] His last time active online or in contact with his family was in July 2022. [31] [32] London was found and confirmed safe by a family member in January 2023. No details about where London was located or why he had not contacted his family were provided. [33]

Discography

Awards and nominations

Filmography

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D12</span> American hip hop group

D12 was an American hip hop collective from Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1996, the group achieved mainstream success with its lineup of de facto leader Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Mr. Porter, Kuniva and Swifty McVay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeway (rapper)</span> American rapper from Pennsylvania

Leslie Edward Pridgen, better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Originally hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he first gained recognition after appearing on Jay-Z's fifth album, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia in 2000. The following year, he became a member of the Philadelphia-based hip hop collective State Property, which were signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings. After releasing their debut album, Pridgen signed to Roc-A-Fella as a solo artist and began work on his debut album, Philadelphia Freeway (2003). Upon release, the album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical response. He released a follow-up, Free at Last (2007) to moderate reception before him and fellow State Property cohorts were dropped from the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pusha T</span> American rapper (born 1977)

Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, which he formed with his older brother No Malice. Mainly active from 1994 to 2010, the duo were discovered by Pharrell Williams and signed with his record label Star Trak Entertainment, an imprint of Arista Records in 2001. They released three studio albums—Lord Willin' (2002), Hell Hath No Fury (2006) and Til the Casket Drops (2009)—to mild commercial success; the former spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time", for which they became best known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wale (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1984)

Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, better known by his stage name Wale, is an American rapper. He first became known for his 2006 song "Dig Dug ", which became popular in his hometown of Washington, D.C. and led Wale to gain further local recognition as he amassed a number of follow-up releases. He signed a recording contract with English DJ-producer Mark Ronson's Allido Records in 2007, which, after a three-label bidding war, entered a joint venture with Interscope Records for US$1.3 million the following year. During this time, Wale's mixtapes and singles saw national attention as he appeared on MTV and various Black America-focused magazines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soulja Boy</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1990)

DeAndre Cortez Way, known professionally as Soulja Boy, is an American rapper and record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He rose to prominence with his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That ", which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. After its commercial re-release by Collipark Music, an imprint of Interscope Records, the song and its follow-up, "Soulja Girl", both preceded the release of his debut studio album, Souljaboytellem.com (2007). Despite unfavorable critical reception, it peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Yahhh!."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dev Hynes</span> British musician (born 1985)

Devonté Hynes, also known as Blood Orange and formerly Lightspeed Champion, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and director based in New York City. From 2004 to 2006, Hynes was a member of the band Test Icicles, playing guitar, synth, and occasionally performing vocals. They released one full-length album in 2005. Hynes went on to release two solo studio albums as Lightspeed Champion and subsequently five more as Blood Orange, between 2008 and 2019.

"Big Brother" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the closing track on his third studio album, Graduation (2007). West co-wrote the song with Toomp, who was the sole producer. It originally utilized Prince's "It's Gonna Be Lonely" for the beat, until he refused to approve and a re-recording was done. The song was written by West as a tribute to his close friend and mentor Jay-Z, who has shown his appreciation for it. West first teased the song in August 2007 for the BBC Radio 1Xtra event "Audience with Kanye West". A hip hop song with synths, it features a varied pace of rapping from West. In the lyrics, West introspectively examines the complexities of his friendship with Jay-Z.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B.o.B</span> American rapper (born 1988)

Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons signed with producer Jim Jonsin through his Rebel Rock Entertainment label in 2006. Two years later, he signed a joint venture recording contract with fellow Georgia rapper T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records, an imprint of Atlantic Records. Following his major-label deal, Simmons quickly achieved commercial success when his 2009 debut single, "Nothin' on You", peaked the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and received three nominations—Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration—at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Sean</span> American rapper (born 1988)

Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popularity following the release of his third mixtape, Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big (2010). His debut studio album, Finally Famous (2011) peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "My Last", "Marvin & Chardonnay", and "Dance (Ass)". His second album, Hall of Fame (2013) saw a matched chart position and was supported by the top 40 single "Beware".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ty Dolla Sign</span> American singer (born 1982)

Tyrone William Griffin Jr., known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Los Angeles, California. He gained initial recognition for his guest appearance on fellow Los Angeles rapper YG's 2010 single "Toot It and Boot It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100. He signed with Atlantic Records in 2012, and Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Entertainment the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Mills</span> American rapper, singer, and actor

Travis Tatum Mills, previously known by his stage name T. Mills, is an American rapper, singer, and actor from Riverside, California. Following his name change from T. Mills to Travis Mills, he began hosting an eponymous show on Apple Music 1.

Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr., known professionally as Hit-Boy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first signed with fellow producer Polow da Don in 2007 as in-house production staff for his label Zone 4, and later signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music in 2011 to serve a similar role. He first gained major recognition for his work on Lil Wayne's 2009 single "Drop the World", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 18. The following year, he produced West and Jay-Z's 2011 single "Niggas in Paris", which peaked at number five on the chart and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diggy Simmons</span> American rapper

Daniel Dwayne "Diggy" Simmons III is an American rapper, singer and actor from Queens, New York City. The fourth child of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons of Run DMC, he began his recording career in 2009 and signed with Atlantic Records the following year. In 2011, his single "Do It Like You" and guest appearance on Mindless Behavior's single "Mrs. Right" marked his first and only entries on the Billboard Hot 100. The former preceded the release of debut studio album, Unexpected Arrival (2012), which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical reception. He was chosen as part of XXL magazine's 2011 Annual Freshman List, and joined Lupe Fiasco's short-lived rap collective, All City Chess Club as its youngest member that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1983)

Nayvadius DeMun Cash, known professionally as Future, is an American rapper and singer. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of Auto-Tuned melodies in trap music. Due to the sustained popularity of this musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside (record producer)</span> American record producer, rapper and songwriter

Joshua Howard Luellen, known professionally as Southside, is an American record producer, rapper and songwriter. Based in Atlanta, he is recognized in the music industry for his aggressive, trap-infused production work for prominent hip hop artists. His association with hometown rapper Waka Flocka Flame led Luellen to sign to his label Brick Squad Monopoly, an imprint of Gucci Mane's 1017 Records, as in-house talent in 2010. Luellen and labelmate, fellow producer Lex Luger established the production team 808 Mafia that same year, who were credited on several commercially successful releases throughout the remaining decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chance the Rapper</span> American rapper (born 1993)

Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, he released his debut mixtape 10 Day (2012) during one of his college suspensions. He gained mainstream recognition in 2013 following the release of his second mixtape, Acid Rap. His third mixtape, Coloring Book (2016), was released to further critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200. At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Bennett won Best New Artist and the mixtape became the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy Award—Best Rap Album—while it spawned the single "No Problem", which won Best Rap Performance. His debut studio album, The Big Day (2019), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and saw moderate critical reception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Mensa</span> American rapper (born 1993)

Victor Kwesi Mensah, known professionally as Vic Mensa, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, he was a member of the regional hip hop groups Kids These Days and Savemoney prior to releasing his debut solo mixtape, Innanetape (2013). As a solo artist, Mensa has been signed to Virgin EMI Records, Def Jam Recordings, Capitol Records, and Roc Nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Day (Kanye West song)</span> Kanye West song

"All Day" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It features Trinidadian-American rapper Theophilus London, Canadian rapper Allan Kingdom, and English musician Paul McCartney. The song was produced by West and ten others, including Puff Daddy, French Montana and Travis Scott. Having initially leaked in August 2014 after being announced for release as a single by West, he premiered the song on March 2, 2015 via Power 106 and Hot 97. The following day, it was released for digital download and streaming as a standalone single, through GOOD Music and Def Jam. The song contains a re-recorded sample of "When the Wind Is Blowing" by Paul McCartney and Wings and an interpolation from "Dance with Me" by Jamaican singer Noel Ellis. It includes elements of industrial and drill music, alongside synthesizers. Rapping in a fast flow, West's lyrics center around his success in life and the music industry.

<i>Vibes</i> (Theophilus London album) 2014 studio album by Theophilus London

Vibes is the second studio album by American rapper Theophilus London. The album was released on November 4, 2014, by Warner Bros. Records. The album features guest appearances from Leon Ware, Kanye West, Jesse Boykins III, Soko, Devonte Hynes and Force MDs. The album was supported by the single "Tribe".

Club Cheval is a French electronic group originating from Lille, consisting of Myd, Sam Tiba, Panteros666 and Canblaster.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Johnston, Kathleen (March 1, 2019). "Meet Theophilus London, Kanye West collaborator and fashion pack favourite". British GQ. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Theophilus London had to rediscover his roots to find his sound". Crack Magazine. May 12, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Wilkinson, Isabel (July 17, 2011). "Can This Rapper Skip a Beat?". Newsweek . Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Houlihan, Finn (November 14, 2014). "Interview: Theophilus London". Acclaim Magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Rapping with Theophilus London: Hot hip-hopper says Poconos broadened his music". Lehigh Valley Music. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ Gaddy, James (August 16, 2011). "Theophilus London". Interview Magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  7. ↑ Pollock, Michael (April 5, 2011). "Theophilus London, Hip-Hop's Newest Name (and What a Name!)". Interview Magazine. Archived from the original on April 7, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  8. ↑ "MeLo-X, the D.J. Behind Beyoncé's Remixes and Video Clips". The New York Times. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  9. ↑ "LadyJFemme for Frank151: Body Language (Interview) - NEWS - FRANK151". frank151.com. October 6, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  10. ↑ Gaston, Peter (February 4, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE EP: Hot Rapper Theophilus London". Spin .
  11. ↑ Schnipper, Matthew (May 20, 2011). "Cannes Goes Crazy for Theophilus London; Lars von Trier Goes Crazy at Cannes". The Fader .
  12. ↑ "Pop and Rock Listings for June 10–16". The New York Times . June 9, 2011.
  13. ↑ Dunlevy, T'Cha (June 30, 2011). "Montreal International Jazz Festival 2011: Theophilus London at Club Soda; June 29, 2011". The Gazette . Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  14. ↑ Good, Rana (February 22, 2012). "Theophilus London Wows Le Baron With New Tracks". SociétéPerrier.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Exclusive Q&A: Solange Talks 'True' EP, New Label, & Next Album". Rap-Up. April 29, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  16. ↑ Pitcher, Laura; Thompson, Catherine; Brammer, J.P.; Ware, Asia Milia; Cowles, Charlotte; Lange, Maggie; Cox, Ana Marie; Chapin, Angelina (June 6, 2012). "First Looks: See Kanye West, Linda Evangelista, Lauren Hutton, and More Wearing Chanel's Little Black Jacket". The Cut. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 "Theophilus London Interview - Rapper Theophilus London". ELLE. June 21, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Kanye West to Executive Produce Theophilus London's New Album - Mr. Wavvy". Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  19. ↑ Fresh, Mikey (November 25, 2014). "Interview: Theophilus London Doesn't Want To Be A Rapper". VIBE.com. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  20. ↑ Servantes, Ian (November 8, 2014). "Theophilus London Performs "Tribe" on Letterman". Complex. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  21. ↑ Lilah, Rose (December 15, 2014). "Theophilus London Announces Tour Dates With Father & Doja Cat". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Theophilus London and Ariel Pink Team Up on New Track "Revenge": Listen". Pitchfork. November 22, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  23. ↑ Karp, Naima; Karp/, Naima (March 17, 2020). "Interview: Artist/Producer Theophilus London Discusses His New Album "Bebey"". DOPECAUSEWESAID. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Listen to Tame Impala and Theophilus London's New Songs". Pitchfork. October 23, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Theophilus London". Black History Month 2022. October 12, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  26. ↑ Birchmeier, Jason. "Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier". Allmusic .
  27. ↑ SOMETHING SCREWY IS GOING ON WITH THEOPHILUS LONDON'S INSTAGRAM Archived May 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine at HipHopDX; by Chris Mitchell; published May 6, 2016; retrieved May 17, 2021
  28. ↑ Theophilus London says he was "hacked" after being accused of trying to sell Miley Cyrus collab Archived May 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine at The line of Best Fit; by Cerys Kenneally; published December 31, 2020; retrieved May 17, 2021
  29. ↑ Theophilus London claims he was hacked after being accused of trying to sell Miley Cyrus track Archived May 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine at NME.com; by Will Lavin; published December 31, 2020; retrieved May 1, 2021
  30. ↑ Heching, Dan (December 29, 2022). "Rapper Theophilus London reported missing in Los Angeles". CNN. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Theophilus London's Family Has Reported Him Missing". Complex. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Rapper Theophilus London Reported Missing in Los Angeles by Family and Friends". Peoplemag. December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  33. ↑ DuBose, Josh (January 4, 2023). "Rapper Theophilus London found safe after missing for months, family member says". KTLA .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.