London was born in Los Angeles County, California, on December 5, 1984, to an African-American mother and an Ashkenazi Jewish father. After attending Palisades Charter High School, London was homeschooled.

London appeared in music videos for artists such as Tyrese, Ludacris, Pharrell (“Frontin'”) and Snoop Dogg. Her breakout year came in 2006, where she made her television debut in the “Everybody Hates Funerals” episode of the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris. That same year, London landed her first film role as well, playing hip-hop artist T.I.’s romantic lead in the film ATL. For her work, London was nominated for “Best Supporting Actress” at the Black Movie Awards. In 2007, London landed a role on the HBO comedy series Entourage, playing the character Turtle’s (Jerry Ferrara) love interest. Based on her performance in ATL, London was given her role in 2007’s This Christmas without having to audition. London, along with pop/R&B singers Cassie and Asia Nitollano. She also became one of the spokesmodels for the Sean John woman’s collection in 2007.

In 2008, London landed the role of the character Christina in the first season of the show 90210, originally thought to be a possible romantic interest of Tristan Wilds’ character “Dixon Wilson”. London’s next film role was the character “Ivy” in the 2009 release Next Day Air. That same year, she played the character Cammy Alcott in the Chris Columbus film I Love You, Beth Cooper. London also appeared on the covers of magazines such as King and Jewel.

She appeared in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family, which was released on April 22, 2011. She also made a cameo appearance in the premiere of VH1’s Single Ladies. London joined the cast of the hit BET show The Game as a series regular from the sixth season until the series finale. She played a character named Kiera, “a former child star who starred in a Cosby Show-esque sitcom”. London co-starred, alongside Paula Patton, Jill Scott, and Derek Luke, in Baggage Claim (2013), the film adaptation of playwright and director David E. Talbert’s 2005 novel. In 2016, London co-starred in the film The Perfect Match as “Ginger”. In 2018, London starred in the Lifetime Movies Always & 4Ever and Poinsettias for Christmas.

London dated Lil Wayne on and off. The couple’s son, Kameron Carter, was born September 9, 2009. In May 2011, London said of her relationship with Wayne, “I met Wayne when I was 15 years old. I’ve known him a very long time, and we were in a relationship that didn’t make it. We tried more than once to revive it, and we were engaged briefly years ago, but we eventually parted ways. People see the ‘Lil Wayne’ personality and think they know who he really is. My son’s father is an intelligent, loving, and lovable person who will always be a dear friend. And that will never change. That is all.” Lil Wayne’s second verse on the song ‘Young’n Blues”, explains how he met the 15 years old, Californian, Lauren London: “young Cali sweet thang” and his relationship with her. Lil Wayne’s “California Love” “now I’ve got an actress sticking’ by my hip…shorty is reddish” is also about Lauren London, and how he proposed to her and then broke it off “and in dat box it’s a ring…somebody call that thing and tell her shawty give me back my ring”. In 1999–2003, Lil Wayne also had “Lauren” tattooed on his right arm, but wrote “Carter” over it, shortly before his marriage to his now ex-wife.

In 2013, London began dating Ermias Asghedom, better known as rapper Nipsey Hussle, until his murder on March 31, 2019. Nipsey and London were thought to have taken the next step in their relationship but it was later revealed that their engagement photos were for a GQ photoshoot. The couple’s son Kross Ermias Asghedom was born August 31, 2016.

In 2019, London played the lead character, “Vanessa King”, in the BET show Games People Play.