He was one of hip-hop’s rising stars in the early 2010s and is nowhere to be found today. American rapper Theophilus London has not been seen in months and his family reported him missing to the Los Angeles police on Wednesday.
According to Associated Press, no one has had contact with the 35-year-old artist since July. He was last seen on October 15 in Skid Row, a deprived Los Angeles neighborhood known for its large number of homeless people.
promising beginnings
Born in the Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago, Theophilus London was reportedly raised in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. acclamation magazine. It was in the New York rap scene that he got his start: with his high school, he decided to embark on a music career and quickly made a name for himself.
After a few mixtapes in the late 2000s, the artist presented his first EP, lovers holidayin 2011. The presence of two guests testifies to the interest that is beginning to arouse: Sara Quinn, from the electro-pop duo Tegan & Sara, and Solange Knowles, singer and Beyoncé’s little sister.
First successes and prestigious collaborations
Signed to Warner Records, he then saw his career start to take off. His first album Timez are rare these days, released the same year to critical acclaim. his piece neighbours is on the soundtrack of the fourth film of The Twilight saga, apocalypse part 1.
Its first titles enchanted very beautiful people, as attested by the illustrious names that collaborated on vibes, their second album released in 2014. The record is produced in part by Leon Ware, an American music legend who has collaborated with Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, and Donny Hathaway. The cover photo is signed by Karl Lagerfeld.
Kanye West is also the artisan of this album, and he even puts his voice on one of the songs, the duet I can not stop. Although critically acclaimed, the album did not find its audience.
mix of genres
vibes allows Theophilus London to mix his rapping with R&B, disco or electro sounds. A mix of genres that mattered to him, as he demonstrated in 2018 by collaborating with Tame Impala for the title. lash:
“Tame Impala + rap, for me it’s like Run-DMC working with Aerosmith,” he confided to Complex two years ago. I was looking for a collaboration like that, it’s important for music. It’s important for young people that two artists from these genres collaborate, from time to time, to offer a new perspective on music.”
grammy nominated
He really broke through in 2016, when his name appeared in two categories at the Grammy Awards. Title All day by Kanye West, in which he put his voice together with Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney, is nominated for the awards for best rap performance and best rap song – but loses in both cases.
Theophilus London presents his third album, baby, in 2020. He released it on his own label, My Bebey Records. At the same time, he continued his forays into the world of fashion: he collaborated with Virgil Abloh -then artistic director of Louis Vuitton- for the visuals. The creator even uses the title. lash to accompany one of their parades.
months of mystery
No information has been leaked about Theophilus London’s activities in recent months. His family issued a statement asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information on the musician is urged to contact the LAPD or Theophilus London’s cousin, Mikhail Noel, on his Instagram account. @iamdjkellz.
“We miss you,” her father wrote in the statement. “All your friends and family are looking for you. Wherever you are, let us know. Whatever the situation, we will come looking for you.”
Source: BFM TV
