Between his Gucci-themed record with Chauffeur and his recent six-page photo spread for Complex Magazine, Theophilus London continues to walk the line between fashion and music.
The photo spread, which was shot in November and is being released in time for Fashion Week, adds a splash of color to the artist’s signature style. “Everyone wanted me to feel comfortable and let me do my own thing,” London says in the accompanying interview, “They kept reminding me—this is about you; be yourself; be you, let you come out in the photos, and I just did that.”
London also proves that style isn’t just about the clothes: “It’s just great to project my aesthetic in pictures, not just present myself in a photo. I wanted to present a statement without talking.”
That he does. Click here to read the full interview and after the jump, check out Complex Magazine’s exclusive video of the shoot, which is scored with TL’s own “Cold Pillow” and “Fatality” from This Charming Mixtape.
After weeks of anticipation, Theophilus London finally released his first single, “Humdrum Town”, on Green Label Sound. Since the debut of This Charming Mixtape in January, Theophilus London has made considerable strides in both his work and his career. Not only has his music matured, he is also a member of Chauffeur, a supergroup that also counts Mark Ronson, Sam Sparro, and The Dap Kings’ Victor Axelrod and Tommy Brenneck as members.
Last month, the up-and-coming artist packed in a whopping six appearances during CMJ’s five-day period, including the Green Label Sound party at the Brooklyn Bowl on October 23. Rocking a pair of sunglasses, Theophilus London’s presence on stage is decidedly cool. He made good use of the large stage, engaging the audience with his slick dance moves. Set highlights included “Humdrum Town”, “Ultraviolet”, and remixes of Amadou & Mariam’s “Sabali” and The Very Best’s “Julia”. He closed with his catchy rendition of Whitney Houston’s “Always Love You”.
It was clear that his sound developed considerably since the mixtape’s January release, evident in the drastic reimagining of “Ultraviolent”. The original version on This Charming Mixtape is punk rock fused with hip-hop, in a manner reminiscent of N.E.R.D. The new version, renamed “Ultraviolet”, retains the punk influence in the bass line and drums, but adds a synth-pop melody that gives the song a completely different feel. A silvery hook and smoothed-out vocals complete the transformation. Listen to the two tracks for yourself:
Theophilus London – “Ultraviolent”
Theophilus London – “Ultraviolet”
If you think Theophilus London’s music isn’t enough evidence of his growth, look no further than his latest incarnation, Chauffeur. Described by Mark Ronson as “a fictitious supergroup”, Chauffeur was commissioned to record a song to tie into the release of Mark Ronson’s new line of shoes for Gucci. There are very few bands that are fronted by both a vocalist and a rapper, proven to be a winning combination when Chauffeur performed at the Levis/Fader Fort on October 24.
With one original song under their Gucci belts, Chauffeur’s set only consisted two songs: a cover of Sheila E’s “This Glamorous Life”, and “Soles on Fire”, which has a soft electro melody over a subtle hip hop/funk beat. With lyrics like “Guccis on my feet, it’s about that time” and “I ran so far, my soles’ on fire”, Chauffeur does a great job of producing a solid track while tying in the brand. Gucci is giving away an exclusive 12″ vinyl of “Soles of Fire” with the purchase of Mark Ronson’s shoes.
Chauffeur has shown a lot of promise in their debut track, and we have a feeling this isn’t the last we’ve seen of their unique collaboration. As for Theophilus London, based on what we’ve heard in the past year, there’s no doubt in our minds that we have a lot to look forward to.
After the jump, check out a few photos of Theophilus London’s recent CMJ performances, and be sure to click here for a free download of “Humdrum Town” from Green Label Sound.
We just got wind of a couple more parties you might want to check out this week…
Our friends at MeanRed are taking over 88 Palace this week with their Shanghai’d event series. Tonight is the Fool’s Showcase, featuring Kingdom and Sammy Bananas, with live performances by Vega and Donnis. Fool’s Gold founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs will be around to host the festivities. On Thursday, the Noise Problem Showcase features Designer Drugs, Lauren Flax, and NROTB; on Friday, Adam Tensta, VDRK and Free Magic are on the roster for MeanRed’s own showcase. As an added bonus, they’ll be passing around dim sum dishes throughout each night. Click here for the full line-ups and to RSVP.
If you’re looking for some daytime action on Saturday, Levi’s and The Fader have you covered. With continuous music from 2-10 PM, The Ace Hotel is the place to be on Saturday. We’re particularly looking forward to Chauffeur’s performance, which will feature Mark Ronson, Theophilus London and Sam Sparrow. Flashing Lights founders Nick Catchdubs and Jubilee will also be spinning at the event. Click here to RSVP.
