Catch a rising star

By Meredith Deliso

Theophilus London is a star — and he hasn’t even released a full-length album yet.

The snazzily dressed MC has been the toast of city’s press, handily sold out a show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg last month, and has been garnering deafening buzz for his debut album, “Timez are Weird These Days,” for the past few months (that album, by the way, finally dropped this week).

So it seems like a no-brainer to check out this musical nebula when he plays a free — yes, free — show at the Weeksville Heritage Center’s garden on Saturday.

Thanks to a few EPs, London’s associated with his 1980s electro-soul sound, though his influences are as varied as Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware and Morrissey.

The Weeksville party will feature an outdoor show by London and opener Phony Ppl, as well as food from NY Dosa, Wafels and Dinges, Nha Toi, La Table Exquise and Kem’s Jerk.

The hip hopper dreams of being Jay-Z big one day, so catch him before his next show is at Madison Square Garden.

Theophilus London at Weeksville Heritage Center [1698 Bergen St. between Buffalo  and Rochester avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant, (718) 756-5250], July 23 at 6 pm. Free. For info, visit www.weeksvillesociety.org.

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Emancipation Day

July 4 is, of course, the day America declared its independence from England. But it was also Independence Day for New York slaves, who were officially “freed” in 1827.

To mark the occasion, the Weeksville Heritage Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant celebrates with a day of music and lectures on July 3.

The main attraction is pioneering neo-soul and rock musician Cody ChestnuTT in a rare performance.

Shawn Peters, the arts and programming consultant at the lost-and-then-found African-American village from the 1840s, describes ChestnuTT’s music as Chuck Berry-style rockabilly with the conscientious message of Bob Marley.

Before each show, the musician, who is of Jamaican heritage, gathers his audience around a la the tradition of African storytellers before performing his experimental rock and roll.

Emancipation Day at Weeksville Garden [1698 Bergen St. between Buffalo Avenue and Rochester Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, (718) 756-5250], July 3 at 4 pm. Admission $5 (suggested donation). For info, visit weeksvillesociety.org.

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