October London
October London | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jared Samuel Erskine October 17, 1986 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, songwriter |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Known for | American vocalist and songwriter signed to Death Row Records; album "The Rebirth of Marvin" |
Jared Samuel Erskine (born October 17, 1986), who performs under the stage name October London, is an American vocalist and songwriter. In 2022, he signed with Death Row Records under the guidance of Snoop Dogg. His studio album, The Rebirth of Marvin, was released in 2023, featuring the single "Back to Your Place," which reached the top position on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart and secured three nominations at the Soul Train Music Awards.
Early life
Erskine was born in South Bend, Indiana into a musically inclined family, with his mother as a singer and his father playing guitar. Inspired by his uncles and the significance of music during family events, he started learning piano while in kindergarten. By 2004, he was performing with the ensemble First Fam.
Career
Starting his professional career as Sam London in 2014, Erskine initially trained as a commercial truck driver before fully pursuing music. His first single, "Black Man in America," released in 2016, tackled issues of police violence against Black men in the United States and was accompanied by a music video that premiered in September of that year. After connecting with producer Jazze Pha—who introduced London's track "Color Blind" to Snoop Dogg—he became the inaugural artist signed to their collaborative label Cadillacc Music in March 2016. Following Cadillacc Music's closure, he joined Death Row Records. In 2016, he supported Snoop Dogg on both the Mount Kushmore and High Road tours.
In December 2016, London unveiled his debut EP Color Blind: Love, which was released alongside a promotional film. This was followed by Color Blind: Hate & Happiness in April 2017 under Cadillacc Music. That same year, he composed the theme song for VH1's Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party and made a guest appearance on Fox's television series Empire.
Continuing to expand his discography, London released the EPs The Love Cassette in 2020 and Bell Bottom Nights in 2022. Additionally, he co-developed the children's animated web series Doggyland alongside Snoop Dogg and Claude Brooks during 2022. His full-length album The Rebirth of Marvin, paying homage to Marvin Gaye, debuted in February 2023. The track "Back to Your Place" marked his first entry on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart, where it held number one for nine consecutive weeks as of October 2023. In June 2023, he followed up with the EP Jackpot.
In November 2023, October London released a holiday-themed album titled The Greatest Gift. That same month, he performed at the 2023 Soul Train Music Awards where he earned a nomination for Best R&B/Soul Male Artist. He also contributed the song "Eternity" to the soundtrack of the 2023 film The Color Purple. From January through March 2024, he embarked on his nationwide Rebirth of Marvin Tour.
Musical style
London’s sound is primarily rooted in soul and contemporary R&B genres.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Train Music Awards | 2023 | Song of the Year | "Back to Your Place" | Template:Nom | |
| Video of the Year | Template:Nom | ||||
| The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award | Template:Nom | ||||
| Best R&B/Soul Male Artist | Himself | Template:Nom |
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak Chart Positions | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 |
Please Leave a Message |
| |
| 2022 |
Crypto Winter (The Dubstep/House Album) |
| |
| 2023 |
The Rebirth of Marvin |
| |
| 2023 |
The Greatest Gift |
| |
| 2024 |
October Nights |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Introduction |
|
| Color Blind: Love |
|
| Color Blind: Hate & Happiness |
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| Technicolor |
|
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B/HH Air. |
US Adult R&B | |||
| "Baila Conmigo" (featuring Tripp Caimbridge and Walter West) |
2014 | – | – | The Introduction |
| "Black Man in America" | 2016 | – | – | Color Blind: Love |
| "Kdb (Kisses Down Below)" (with Bcanic) |
2016 | – | – | Non-album single |
| "Delorean" | 2020 | – | – | Non-album single |
| "Quarantina" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "Our Last" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "LSD" | 2021 | – | – | Non-album single |
| "Lime and Squeeze" (featuring Snoop Dogg) |
– | – | DJ Drama discography#Gangsta Grillz:_I_Still_Got_It | |
| "Tennessee Whiskey" (featuring Dean Dillon) |
– | – | Non-album single | |
| "I Want You" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "I Dont Give a Damn" | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "Back to Your Place" | 2023 | – | 1 | The Rebirth of Marvin |
| – | 1 | |||
| – | The Color Purple (Music from and Inspired By) | |||
| 2024 | 28 | – | October Nights | |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Go On" (Snoop Dogg featuring October London) |
2017 | Neva Left |
| "What is This?" (Snoop Dogg featuring October London) |
rowspan="2" Template:N/A | |
| "Funky Christmas" (Snoop Dogg featuring October London and Cocoa Sarai) |
2020 | |
| "Touch Away" (Snoop Dogg featuring October London) |
2022 | Snoop Dogg Presents Death Row Summer 2022 |
| "The Crown" (Ideal featuring October London and Benny the Butcher) |
2023 | Template:N/A |
| "All I Want Is You" (Boney James featuring October London) |
2024 | Slow Burn |
Guest appearances
| Track | Year | Collaborating artist(s) | Album | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "We the Shit" | 2013 | Komain, Ballhead | The Life & Times of Brian James | |
| "Bananas" | Komain, Tripp Caimbridge | |||
| "Shut Up or Move On" | ||||
| "My Life, Pt. 2" | ||||
| "Put It Down" | Komain | |||
| "City to City" | 2014 | J-Live, Tanya Morgan | Around the Sun | |
| "Revolution" | 2016 | Snoop Dogg | Coolaid | |
| "My Last Name" | 2017 | Make America Crip Again | ||
| "Waves" | 2018 | 220 | ||
| "When Life Calls" | Daz Dillinger | Dazamataz | ||
| "In the Name of Jesus" | Snoop Dogg | Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love | ||
| "Dissolution of Marriage" | 2021 | Tha Dogg Pound | Dpg 4 Life | |
| "It Ain't Nuthin'" | Snoop Dogg | The Addams Family 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||
| "Baila Conmigo" | 2022 | Snoop Dogg Presents Death Row Summer 2022 | ||
| "Coming Back" | Snoop Dogg, Nefertitti Avani | BODR | ||
| "Get This Dick" | Snoop Dogg, Lil Duval | |||
| "Snoopy Don't Go" | Snoop Dogg | |||
| "Hotline" | Metaverse: The NFT Drop, Vol. 2 | |||
| "That's On Me" | 2023 | Jane Handcock | World of Women | |
| "Wine Mackin" | Tim October | October 4 Eva | ||
| "Fake" | Westcoast Stone | Thats That Drip |
Television
| Year | Show | Role portrayal | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Empire | Himself | Single episode appearance |