Hidden Treasure: Theophilus London

Brooklyn emcee Theophilus London takes us back to the 80s with his retro, electronic hip hop sound we can't get enough of.

Breaking on to the scene in 2008 with his debut mixtape JAM! he sparked a buzz on the internet for his refreshing choice of samples. Instead of the typical soul sound that producers look to for hip hop tracks, Theophilus opts for a 80s dance beat and early 90s groove as the backdrop for his rhymes. He covers songs like Prince's Die 4 U (anyone that covers Prince is a friend of mine) and his hilarious spin on Erykah Badu's Call Tyrone.

This was followed by This Charming Mixtape where he delves a little further, even tapping into his Caribbean roots on the track Crazy Cousins. Check out the video below of him performing it at the Diesel U event last Thursday. I was there to witness the show, and he's a great performer.



Currently touring the world over, from San Francisco to Amsterdam, Theophilus is making sure his music is heard. Check out these fun interviews to learn more about one of Brooklyn's finest.

-S.