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Theophilus London: An Artist Like No Other

His music is just as eccentric as his name.

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Theophilus London:  An Artist  Like No Other
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When I decided a couple years back to let my iHeart Radio Childish Gambino music station roll its endless pool of music (meaning, I did not skip any of the songs), I had no idea then I'd discover one of the coolest artists to emerge with sounds so unique.

Not much is known about the Trinidad and Tobago born Brooklyn native, who officially embarked on his music career by releasing his first mixtape "Jam!" in 2008. It should come as a surprise when an artist chooses to keep much of themselves hidden and tucked away from the prying eyes of paparazzi and fans. Ultimately, however, the only glimpse we have of the uber-cool artist's private life are through his well-crafted and strange/captivating Instagram posts and Tweets often filled with other well-liked and known celebrities.

Despite his absence from mainstream media, what I know for sure, however, is that, London's career is beyond that of any normal artist, and perhaps some music of his that I handpicked from his last three studio albums/EP will convince you as well.


"Wine and Chocolates" and "Flying Overseas" are my two favorites from his first EP. "Wine and Chocolates" is my favorite because it is actually the song that introduced me to the artist, while "Flying Overseas" is brilliantly executed from the lyrics to the featured artists — who, I add, are amazing and talented individuals. Devonte Hynes, who goes by other names including Blood Orange, is also an artist I'm fond of, while Solange Knowles is someone I recognize to be a powerful icon for black girls everywhere who are struggling with their identity, image and stance in society.

Right after signing with Reprise/Warners Bros., "Lovers Holiday" was released in 2011 following his "This Charming Man" mixtape from 2009. The EP received surprisingly poor ratings from Pitchfork when it came out, with a headline that read, "The stylish rapper with an 80s indie fetish follows a mixtape with a proper EP, and here everything seems to be in place except for the music." I'd like to argue differently. Admittedly, I couldn't follow every word the writer so wisely constructed, but I knew this, the 3.5 rating was, at best, a joke.

Though I believe that everything ever heard, written and seen should be taken with a grain of salt, the scathing rating couldn't be far from the truth of what London's music is. London's music resonates with an old soul that resides in the body of a man contrary to himself. At best I can say he appears to have an eternal love for, well ... love. Using music as a medium to declare his message, he uses beats and lyrics that best fit this time period but embody the person he truly is.


"Why Even Try" and "One Last Time" hail from his first official album, "Timez are Weird These Days." As his first studio album, it is his best to date. From the approximately 37 minutes worth of music that comprised the album, to the lyrics and the music videos released, it was simply put a work of art.

Also, yes, that is Sara from Tegan and Sara.



"Vibes," released nearly two years ago, was his second studio album. The album featured appearances by Kanye West (also one of the executive producers), Jesse Boykins III, and Devonte Hynes. Although the album had Kanye West's name attached to it, I expected it to go beyond what he'd accomplished since "Timez are Weird These Days." However, that is not to say that the music it featured was not exceptionally executed.

That said, "Can't Stop" is arguably one of my favorite songs of all time. And it's not because it features Kanye West — who also happened to be one of the writers. It's just one of those songs that you can find yourself falling in love with due to the simplicity and honesty of the lyrics, not to mention the perfection that the background vocals add to the song.

Finally, it would be a shame if I didn't also present you with the opportunity to watch the amazing music video that was released with "Tribe".

I hope you enjoyed the music I handpicked from each of his albums/EP, and hopefully it will inspire you to check out more from the talented and singular singer/songwriter.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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