Theophilus London, Fortune Sound Club, Wednesday, Jan. 18.
A lot of girls went home with intentions of digging through their boyfriend's closet and sharpening his sartorial game last wek, and those shabby guys only have one man to blame: Theophilus London.
BEING THERE
The Trinidad-born, Brooklyn-raised 24yearold rapper graced (and I truly mean, graced) Vancouver with his presence at Fortune Sound Club and demonstrated the myriad ways rap has transformed since its inception in the 1970s.
Opener K. Flay is a great example, for instance. While a female rapper is no doubt not unheard of, a white, under-styled, female rapper is still fairly novel. In a league of eye-liner painted and door-knocker earring'd Kreayshawns, Iggy Azaleas, and V-Nastys, K. Flay in no makeup and a baggy white t-shirt stands head and shoulders above them with a creative voice, an energy that can only be indicative of straight up passion, and undeniable talent.
However that's not to say that being over-styled renders an entertainer null of talent. Because on the other end of the spectrum there is, of course, the marquee slot Theophilus London. Strutting on stage in a studded motorcycle jacket, worn-in graphic Tee, his classic LVRS (his own line) hat and hefts of gold jewelry dangling from both wrists and strung around his neck, Theo was intimidatingly stylish. Faced with such a fashionable performer, the worry then becomes: can he talk the walk? And indeed he can.
Cavorting around the tiny stage, Theo treated his dedicated fans to songs that spanned his entire catalog. Mixtapes, EPs, and his full-length album Timez Are Weird These Days were all represented. The set pulled inspiration from Prince, Kraftwerk, punk, and New Wave, showcasing an eclecticism found in many modern rap practitioners.
The almost convulsively energetic "Girls Girls $" had the crowd head banging (now, how often does that happen at a hip-hop show?) and jumping all at once, while the confident "I Stand Alone" forced the audience to shake their sweat off on one another like a room full of wet dogs. "Overseas" (which features vocals from Solange Knowles) and "Why Even Try" (guest vocals courtesy of Sara Quin of Vancouver's own Tegan and Sara) were welcome sway-inducing come downs after the perspiry results of his opening bangers.
"Big Spender" and "Last Name London" were major crowd pleasers, while an unrecognizable (to me, at least) track that sampled the Pinky and the Brain theme got an incredibly warm reception. And it's unique risks like that sample that keep Theophilus London relevant and position him as an active participant in rap's current alteration.
Theo stands as an example who says it's OK to sample cartoons, it's OK to be influenced by the Smiths, and it's OK to have a bass-player wearing nothing but a bohemian vest on stage with you instead of a hype-man and still be considered a rapper. The genre no longer seems to cater to the "girls, cash, cars" content that it used to, instead trading celebrations of material for celebrations of creativity. Whether or not Theo's commitment to a plethora of styles will serve him well in the long-run is yet to be seen, but it seems to be working so far. And either way, he makes one hell of a trailblazer.
Contributing Writer
