''Connected'' is the first studio album by

the Foreign Exchange The Foreign Exchange is an R&B/ electronica/ hip hop duo consisting of the American rapper/singer Phonte and the Dutch record producer Nicolay. Musical career The pair initially made contact via message boards on Okayplayer.com and soon ...

, a hip hop group consisting of American rapper

Phonte Phonte Lyshod Coleman, known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, and producer. He is currently of the North Carolina hip-hop trio/duo Little Brother (revived in 2019 without producer 9th Wonder) an ...

from Little Brother and Dutch producer Nicolay. It was released on BBE on August 24, 2004. Their group name comes from how they produced their songs: Nicolay would produce a beat in the Netherlands and send the beat to Phonte through

instant messaging Instant messaging (IM) technology is a type of online chat allowing real-time text transmission over the Internet or another computer network. Messages are typically transmitted between two or more parties, when each user inputs text and trigge ...

email Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. Email was thus conceived as the electronic ( digital) version of, or counterpart to, mail, at a time when "mail" mean ...

, and traditional

mail The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal sys ...

to lay down the vocals. Phonte would return the product, so Nicolay could then master the track; they did not meet until after the album was completed. ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' placed it at number 22 on the "Top 50 Albums of 2004" list. In 2015, it was ranked at number 86 on '' Fact''s "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list.

Track listing

Personnel

– vocals * Nicolay – production * Yahzarah – vocals (on "Foreign Exchange Title Theme", "Sincere", and "End Theme") * Von Pea – vocals (on "Von Sees") * Joe Scudda – vocals (on "Raw Life") * Quartermaine – vocals (on "Hustle, Hustle") * C.A.L.I.B.E.R. – vocals (on "Hustle, Hustle") *

Rapper Big Pooh Thomas Louis Jones III (born February 12, 1980), better known by his stage name Big Pooh (or Rapper Big Pooh), is an American rapper, who, along with fellow rap artist Phonte, is a member of the acclaimed North Carolina hip hop group Little Bro ...

– vocals (on "Let's Move", "Nic's Groove", and "Happiness") * Median – vocals (on "Be Alright" and "All That You Are") * Frank Ford – vocals (on "Be Alright") *

Kenn Starr Kenn Starr (born Kenneth Jones) is an American rapper from Suffolk, Virginia, currently residing in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Starr is a member of the Low Budget Crew and also the duo Isaac Jones. His solo debut album, ''Starr Status'', ...

– vocals (on "The Answer") *

Oddisee Amir Mohamed el Khalifa (born February 24, 1985), better known by his stage name Oddisee, is an American rapper and record producer from Washington, D.C. He is one third of rap trio Diamond District. He was also part of the Low Budget Crew. He is ...

– vocals (on "The Answer") * Sean Boog – vocals (on "The Answer") *

Darien Brockington Little Brother is an American hip hop duo from Durham, North Carolina that consists of rappers Phonte and Big Pooh. DJ and producer 9th Wonder was an original member of the group but departed in 2007. The group has produced five acclaimed studio ...

– vocals (on "Come Around", "All That You Are", and "Call")

References

External links

* {{Authority control 2004 debut albums The Foreign Exchange albums Barely Breaking Even albums Albums produced by Nicolay (musician)