The Foreign Exchange

The Foreign Exchange is a musical duo consisting of American rapper/singer Phonte aka Phonte Coleman and Dutch producer/multi-instrumentalist Nicolay aka Matthijs Rook. Formed in 2002, the collaboration began when Phonte and Nicolay connected via the Okayplayer.com message boards and started exchanging music files online, despite never having met in person at the time. This long-distance partnership led to the release of their debut album, Connected, in 2004. Their subsequent albums include Leave It All Behind (2008), which featured the Grammy-nominated track "Daykeeper," Authenticity (2010), Love in Flying Colors (2013), and Tales from the Land of Milk and Honey (2015). The duo's music blends elements of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and electronica, characterized by introspective lyrics and sophisticated production. In addition to their work as a duo, Phonte and Nicolay founded the independent label The Foreign Exchange Music, through which they have released their own projects as well as works by affiliated artists such as Zo!, Sy Smith, and Darien Brockington.