Featured Artist: THEOPHILUS LONDON

I can not even begin to tell you just how f*@king cool this guy is, honestly take it from me his music has inspired me to another post.  I should really have been writing other stuff right now to enable this site to function but a night on YouTube and Theophilus London's Vevo channel changed that very quickly, I heard one of his songs earlier in the day by chance got to YouTube later and have been sitting here since just listening to this guy!  Maybe this could become a new post, a weekly featured artist....I'm already dreaming up next weeks.

I'm just making comparisons, 80's, retro, LL Cool J, Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls and Jamiroqai, WHAT?  Yeah that's right Jamiroqai the ultimate in funk from the 90's.  I would ultimately match this guy to him only he is better and a hell of a lot cooler.  Hip hop with real funk this guy is going places and fast.  His second album Times Are Weird These Days (first full length) is available in stores and online now, I have added it to my collection already, this ain't an album review though and I've just picked some randoms from his first album and the mixtape which made him famous.

Born on the island of Trinidad in 1987 London moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York where he was raised, he has massive musical influences in his life including Michael Jackson and Prince.  His diverse genre of music is sometimes described as a new hip hop with critics saying his music draws from a range of styles including  R&B, post-punk, electro and soul-pop.  Did they forget about hip hop?

His albums started with mixtapes back in 2008 when he released "Jam", following that he released "This Charming Man Mixtape" in 2009 (I have that one) and then in 2010 he was back with another tape "I Want You".

In 2011 he released his first EP "Lovers Holiday" which went down well, then unofficially he released an album named "The Charming Man" (don't know much about that) and that brigs us to "Times Are Weird These Days" his first official full length debut album.

Following a performance at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in June 2011, critics raved "Theophulis London is going to be big, very big.  The buzz has been building for some time".

The first video for you to check out is "Century Girl" featuring Devonte Hynes.  I love the vibe to this great beat and at times you think you are listening to LL Cool J.

The next video is "Hey Wonderful" which features music from the Stevie Wonder hit "Love Light In Flight".  Theophilus has taken the beat and put his own lyrics over the top, I think it's a great effort and one which really works for me it gives you that 80's vibe modern rap / R&B and even features the corus by Stevie Wonder.

I absolutely loved this next track when I first heard it, there is no official video but the guy who made this one up from pictures has done a sublime job along with getting superb audio "Night Ridin" is the title of the track and it was taken from "The Charming Man" mixtape, the track is something you would hear in a proper R&B styled bar, had it been out at the time this would no doubt have featured in the Save The Last Dance soundtrack.

One more song to mention for you, it featured on the mixtape last week so you will have to go HERE to check out the brilliant video for Theopilus London's new track "I Stand Alone".

I can really see this guys music coming up in a lot of movies and TV shows, it's just got that uber cool beat, my foot has literally been tapping all night whilst writing this, you just get the picture of 80's America, low riders and some ultra cool movies.  Tarrantino must be rubbing his hands thinking of the next movie to pen whilst listening to this.