Phonte Lyshod Coleman,[1] known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, and producer. He is also a member of Team Supreme, that co-hosts the Questlove Supreme podcast.[2]

Phonte Coleman
Phonte in 2011
Phonte in 2011
Background information
Birth namePhonte Lyshod Coleman
Also known asPercy Miracles
Born (1978-12-28) December 28, 1978 (age 45)
Lumberton, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • producer
  • podcaster
Years active1998–present
LabelsForeign Exchange Music
Member of
Formerly ofJustus League

Phonte is a member of the North Carolina hip-hop trio/duo Little Brother (revived in 2019 without producer 9th Wonder) and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer (often under the pseudonym Percy Miracles), and with Nicolay on The Foreign Exchange.

Career

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Little Brother

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Phonte first met the other members of Little Brother, rapper Big Pooh and producer 9th Wonder, in 1998 while attending North Carolina Central University, as an English major.[3] The three shared common musical interests and decided to form a group. "Speed", the group's first song recorded together, led to them signing a deal with the independent ABB Records, and recording their debut album, The Listening.[4] The album's success led to the group signing a non-exclusive deal with Atlantic Records.

The group's 2005 album, The Minstrel Show, was a concept album dealing with themes including the current state of hip hop music. The album received positive reviews, without commercial success. During the recording of their third album, the group announced the departure of 9th Wonder on amicable terms, as well as a parting of ways with their label. Through a contractual clause they returned to ABB Records and released Getback in late 2007.

The Foreign Exchange

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Phonte met Dutch producer Nicolay virtually on an OkayPlayer message board. The duo released their debut album, Connected, having never met face to face. The Foreign Exchange has released four albums. The group received a Grammy nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Daykeeper" (featuring Muhsinah) from the second album, Leave It All Behind.

Solo work

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Phonte has appeared on numerous records by other artists as a vocalist. His lyrics tend to include perspectives on working-class life.[3] Phonte made a guest appearance on the song "Beats N' Rhymes" from producer Kev Brown's album "I Do What I Do", and has also recorded tracked with producer Oddisee, both members of the Washington D.C. (DMV)-based Low Budget collective. In 2006, he was featured on producer DJ Shadow's The Outsider album. In the following year he contributed vocals to rap group Playaz Circle's song "Paper Chaser", from their album Supply & Demand. Phonte's recent projects include The Foreign Exchange's third album, Authenticity, as well as a collaboration (as Tiggalo) with Detroit-based musician Zo! titled Zo! & Tigallo Love the 80s. Zo! & Tigallo Love the 80s is a homage to early 1980s R&B and pop music and features covers of popular songs such as a-Ha's "Take On Me", Toto's "Africa", and Joe Jackson's "Stepping Out". He appeared on Danny!'s 2012 album Payback as well as RJD2's More Is Than Isn't in the following year.

He released his solo-debut titled Charity Starts at Home on September 27, 2011 through FE Music.[5] His second album, No News Is Good News, was released on March 2, 2018, and was included in Bandcamp Daily's best-100-albums-of-2018 year-end list (placed at #42).[6] Phonte also featured on the track "No Wish" by Black Milk, along with Raphael Saadiq.[7]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[8]
US
R&B

[9]
Charity Starts at Home 61 9
No News Is Good News
  • Released: March 2, 2018
  • Label: Foreign Exchange Music
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download

Collaborative albums

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List of collaborative albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[8]
US
R&B

[9]
Love the 80's
(with Zo! as Zo! & Tigallo)
  • Released: July 22, 2008
  • Label: Hall of Justus
  • Format: CD, digital download
Tigallerro
(with Eric Roberson)
  • Released: July 22, 2016
  • Label: Foreign Exchange Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
19
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

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Title Album details
Pacific Time
  • Released: March 29, 2019[10]
  • Label: The Foreign Exchange Music
  • Format: Digital download

With Little Brother

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With The Foreign Exchange

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Guest appearances

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List of guest appearances
Title Year Other performer(s) Album
"The Animal" 2004 Murs Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition
"Every Block" 2005 Rapper Big Pooh Sleepers
"Make It Hot" The Away Team, Joe Scudda National Anthem
"Birdz (Fly the Coup)" Buckshot, 9th Wonder, Keisha Shontelle Chemistry
"Backstage Girl" 2006 DJ Shadow The Outsider
"4Everyday" Liquid Spirits Liquid Spirits
"Let It Be Known" 2007 Sean Price Jesus Price Supastar
"Been in Love" Eric Roberson ...Left
"Letyourselfgo" Evidence, The Alchemist The Weatherman LP
"Alright With Me" Dminor, Keelay & Zaire Ridin' High
"Think Good Thoughts" Drake, Elzhi Comeback Season
"Yellow Lines" CunninLynguists, Witchdoctor Dirty Acres
"The Time Is Now" 2008 Jean Grae Jeanius
"Callin' Me" S1 Music Box
"Close Call" 88-Keys The Death of Adam
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" Evidence, Blu, will.i.am The Layover EP
"The Perch" Oddisee, Tor 101
"All Because She's Gone" Oddisee
"True Love" 2009 Apathy Wanna Snuggle?
"Something 2 Ride 2" Royce da 5'9" Street Hop
"Best of Times" 2010 Strong Arm Steady In Search of Stoney Jackson
"Cry Over You" Yahzarah The Ballad of Purple St. James
"How High" Rhymefest El Che
"Now or Never" The Roots, Dice Raw How I Got Over
"The Day" The Roots, Blu, Patty Crash
"Greater Than the Sun" Zo! SunStorm
"Say How You Feel" Zo!, Carlitta Durand
"Flight of the Blackbyrd" Zo!
"I'll Be There" 2011 Mac Miller Best Day Ever
"Black Hand Side" Pharoahe Monch, Styles P W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
"One Time" Rapsody, Tab-One, Charlie Smarts Thank H.E.R. Now
"Babble" The Physics Love Is a Business
"Take a Chance" Median The Sender
"Turn Ya On" Median, Big Remo
"Special" Median, Yahzarah, Bahamadia
"Band Practice Pt. 2" 9th Wonder, Median The Wonder Years
"One Night" 9th Wonder, Terrace Martin, Bird & The Midnight Falcons
"See U Later" The Away Team Scars & Stripes
"Picture Perfect" Eric Roberson Mister Nice Guy
"One Time" The Roots, Dice Raw Undun
"I'll Be Around" 2012 Brother Ali, Stokley Williams The Bite Marked Heart
"Goodbye" JR & PH7, Median The Goodlife
"Afro Blue (9th Wonder's Blue Light Basement Remix)" Robert Glasper Experiment, Erykah Badu Black Radio Recovered: The Remix EP
"Making Time" 2013 Zo!, Choklate ManMade
"ManMade" Zo!
"Out in the World" Zo!, Choklate
"Jedi Code" Rapsody, Jay Electronica She Got Game
"Temperamental" RJD2 More Is Than Isn't
"No Competition" 2014 Talib Kweli, Elzhi 9th Wonder Presents Jamla Is the Squad
"A Matter of the Heart" Jesse Boykins III Love Apparatus
"Requiem" 2015 Oddisee Persona
"Impayshunt" dEnAuN sTuFf in My BaCkPaCk
"Finer Things" MED, Blu, Madlib, Likewise Bad Neighbor
"Highs and Lows" PRhyme, MF Doom PRhyme (Deluxe Version)
"Clap Shit Up" 2016 Torae Entitled
"Violets" Miles Davis, Robert Glasper Everything's Beautiful
"One Too Many" Kaytranada 99.9%
"Treat You Right" Mickey Factz, Nottz The Achievement: circa '82
"Invitation" 2017 JR & PH7, St. Joe Louis, Tamisha Waden Coral Cadavers
"Donuts" 2018 Andy Mineo The Sword
"Woke as Me" 2019 Open Mike Eagle
"Blackberry" 2020 Carlitta Durand Kismet Green
"Uzbekistan" Your Old Droog, Mach-Hommy Dump YOD: Krutoy Edition
"Who" 2021 Topaz Jones, Maxo Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma
"Be Mine" Emmavie, Saint Ezekiel What's a Diamond to a Baby
"Choices" 2023 Oddisee, BeMyFiasco, Kay Young To What End
"Otherside" Rory, BeMyFiasco I Thought It'd Be Different
"No Wish" Black Milk, Raphael Saadiq Everybody Good?
"You Don't Know" 2024 Lalah Hathaway VANTABLACK

References

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  1. ^ "5th & Fashion (skit)". Warnerchappell.com. Warner/Chappell Music. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  2. ^ Setaro, Shawn (April 16, 2019). "The Story of 'Questlove Supreme': Low-Key Flexes and the Magic Circle". Complex.
  3. ^ a b "MVRemix Urban Interviews Phonte of Little Brother – Online Rap Magazine". Mvremix.com. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  4. ^ Hale, Andreas (March 7, 2018). "Phonte Talks New Album 'No News Is Good News,' Growth as a Lyricist & If Little Brother Will Ever Reunite". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Phonte [@phontigallo] (May 5, 2011). "Phonte. Charity Starts at Home. 09/13/11. #FEMusic" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "The Best Albums of 2018: #100 – 81". Bandcamp Daily. December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Gee, Andre (July 21, 2023). "Phonte Gets Poignantly Vulnerable On Black Milk's "No Wish"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Phonte – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Phonte – Chart history: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  10. ^ "Stream Phonte's Surprise New EP 'Pacific Time'". OkayPlayer.
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