Jared Samuel Erskine (born October 17, 1986), known professionally as October London, is an American singer-songwriter. He signed to Death Row Records by Snoop Dogg in 2022 and released his studio album, The Rebirth of Marvin, in 2023. Its single, "Back to Your Place", topped the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart and was nominated for three Soul Train Music Awards.
Early life Jared Samuel Erskine was born on October 17, 1986, in South Bend, Indiana, and grew up there. His mother was a singer and his father was a guitar player; he has stated that he first wanted to be a musician as a child because of his uncles, all singers, and seeing "how music brought everybody together" during the holidays. He began playing piano while in kindergarten. He also performed in a musical group, First Fam, in 2004.
Career Erskine began performing music professionally under the name Sam London in 2014. Prior to performing as October London, he was training to become a commercial truck driver. He released his debut single, "Black Man in America", in 2016, which was written about police brutality against Black men in the United States. A music video for the song was released in September 2016. He met record producer Jazze Pha through mutual friends, and, after Pha played London's song "Color Blind" for rapper Snoop Dogg, Snoop Dogg called London days before Super Bowl 50 in February 2016. London became the first signee to Snoop Dogg and Jazze Pha's joint record label Cadillacc Music in March 2016 and was later signed to Death Row Records after the dissolution of Cadillacc. He began touring with Snoop Dogg on his Mount Kushmore Tour later that year. He also performed on the High Road Tour with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa in the summer of 2016. His debut extended play (EP), Color Blind: Love, was released in December 2016 alongside a promotional 13-minute-long film and its follow-up, Color Blind: Hate & Happiness, was released through Jazze Pha and Snoop Dogg's imprint Cadillacc Music on April 7, 2017. London also created the theme song for the VH1 television series Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party and, in 2017, played a fictionalized version of himself on the Fox television series Empire.
London released the EPs, The Love Cassette and Bell Bottom Nights, in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Also in 2022, he began collaborating with Snoop Dogg and Claude Brooks on the animated children's music web series Doggyland. His studio album, The Rebirth of Marvin, was released in February 2023 and was a tribute to Marvin Gaye. His single "Back to Your Place" from the album marked his debut on a Billboard chart when it appeared on the Adult R&B Songs chart at number 22 in June 2023, eventually reaching number one in August and topping the chart for nine consecutive weeks by October. His EP, Jackpot, was released on June 22, 2023. In November 2023, he released The Greatest Gift a Christmas album, and performed at the 2023 Soul Train Music Awards, where he was also nominated for the award for Best R&B/Soul Male Artist. He released his single "Eternity" as part of the soundtrack for the 2023 film The Color Purple in December 2023. His national Rebirth of Marvin Tour took place from January to March in 2024.
Musical style London primarily makes soul and contemporary R&B music.
Awards and nominations +List of awards and nominations, with award, year, category, nominated work, result, and reference shown Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result Soul Train Music Awards 2023 Song of the Year "Back to Your Place" Video of the Year The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award Best R&B/Soul Male Artist Himself
Discography Studio albums Year Title Peak Chart Positions Details 2022Please Leave a Message Released: August 24, 2022 Label: Doggy Style Records Format: Digital download, streaming 2022Crypto Winter (The Dubstep/House Album) Released: October 7, 2022 Label: Death Row Records Format: Digital download, streaming 2023The Rebirth of Marvin Released: February 10, 2023 Label: Death Row Format: Digital download, streaming 2023The Greatest Gift Released: November 17, 2023 Label: Death Row Format: Digital download, streaming 2024October Nights Released: October 11, 2024 Label: Death Row Format: Digital download, streaming
Extended plays +List of extended plays, with release date and label shown Title Details The Introduction Released: December 10, 2013 Label: Mortier Music Format: Digital download, streaming Color Blind: Love Released: October 28, 2016 Label: Cadillacc Music Format: Digital download, streaming Color Blind: Hate & Happiness Released: April 7, 2017 Label: Cadillacc Format: Digital download, streaming Technicolor Released: March 3, 2023 Label: Death Row Format: Digital download, streaming
Singles As lead artist +List of singles as lead artist, with title, year released, album, and chart positions shown Title Year Peak chart positions Album USR&B/HHAir.US Adult R&B "Baila Conmigo" 2014 – – The Introduction "Black Man in America" 2016 – – Color Blind: Love "Kdb (Kisses Down Below)" 2016 – – rowspan="5" "Delorean" 2020 – "Quarantina" – "Our Last" – "LSD" 2021 – "Lime and Squeeze" – – Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got It "Tennessee Whiskey" – – rowspan="3" "I Want You" – "I Dont Give a Damn" – "Back to Your Place" 2023 – 1 rowspan="2" "Mullholland Drive" – 1 "Eternity" – – The Color Purple (Music from and Inspired By) "She Keeps Calling" 2024 28 – rowspan="1"
As featured artist +List of singles as featured artist, with title, year released, and album Title Year Album "Go On" 2017 Neva Left "What is This?" rowspan="2" "Funky Christmas" 2020 "Touch Away" 2022 Snoop Dogg Presents Death Row Summer 2022 "The Crown" 2023 "All I Want Is You" 2024 Slow Burn
Guest appearances +List of guest appearances, with year released, other artist(s), and album name shown Title Year Other artist(s) Album Notes "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
Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 2017 Empire Himself Episode: "Civil Hands Unclean" 2026 The Varnell Hill Show Himself / Musical Guest Episode: "#OHSHIT"
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