London in Boston
David Weiner ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
“How many people have been following me since day one?” Theophilus London asked as he brought the music low.
A skinny white kid wearing a “Purple Rain” T-shirt screamed at the top of his lungs.
“You,” London said as he pointed into the audience. “Come up here.”
The kid wove himself through the crowd and climbed up on stage as London’s song “Flying Overseas” began to play. London handed the kid a mic.
“You know how the chorus goes?”
The kid quickly nodded. The chorus approached and the kid sang into the mic with all of his body. This kid was on top of the world.
“Now grab yourself a girl,” London said to the kid who was now shaking with excitement.
He plucked a girl from the side of the stage, brought her up next to him and Theophilus and they proceeded to have the best moment of this kids entire life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd6NxkKCVI8
Brooklyn rapper, Theophilus London cares about his fans and nobody knows this better now than the people in the Boston crowd he performed for at Brighton Music Hall.
On tour to promote his new album, Vibes, Theophilus London is well on his way to taking over 2015. Executively produced by Kanye West with features from the legendary Leon Ware (who’s known for working with Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson), Vibes has been masterfully put together to create a truly original artistic experience.
The whole concept behind the album is create “vibes,” which refer to the emotional state or atmosphere of a place. The appropriately titled album incorporates dance hall vibes, with island vibes, with hip-hop vibes, vibes, vibes, vibes. You get the picture. Listen to his song “Smoke Dancehall” and you’ll understand.
London was born in Trinidad then brought to the states at a young age. His music is influenced by calypso beats and island grooves. When merged with rap and R&B vocals, his music creates a listening experience that I’ve yet to hear anywhere else. He has been often described as a tastemaker, meaning the guy pretty much is able to decide what’s cool and what’s not, much like Regina George of Mean Girls.
London now has fully immersed himself in the fashion world, posing for GQ, hanging out with Karl Lagerfeld and designing his own clothing.
London does whatever he wants to do creatively and is not afraid to learn new forms of art as he progresses in his career. He’s the James Franco of music, getting degrees in every major he can.
The Vibes Tour is now off to Detroit and Chicago to spread the good word of artistic expression. I strongly encourage you follow this dude, if not just to say you knew of him before he was on the radio.
