Phonte
Phonte Lyshod Coleman,[1] better known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, currently 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. His rhymes tend to be no-frill perspectives on working-class life.[2]
Phonte Coleman | |
|---|---|
 Phonte in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Phonte Lyshod Coleman |
| Born | December 28, 1978 Greensboro, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop, contemporary R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Foreign Exchange Music |
| Associated acts | Little Brother, The Foreign Exchange, Justus League, The Roots, Eric Roberson, Murs |
Career
Little Brother
Phonte first met the other members of Little Brother, Rapper Big Pooh and 9th Wonder, in 1998 while attending North Carolina Central University, as an English major.[2] 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. The album's success led to the group signing a non-exclusive deal with major label Atlantic Records.
The group's 2005 album, The Minstrel Show, was a concept album dealing with the current state of hip hop music. The album received a positive critical reaction but very little commercial success. During the recording of their third album, the group announced the departure of producer 9th Wonder on amicable terms, as well as a parting of ways with their label. Through a contractual clause they landed back on ABB Records and released Getback in late 2007.
The Foreign Exchange
Phonte "met" (virtually) Dutch producer Nicolay on an OkayPlayer message board. The two released their debut album, Connected, having never met face to face. The Foreign Exchange has released four albums and has garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Daykeeper" (feat. Muhsinah) off of the second album, Leave It All Behind.
Solo work
Phonte has appeared on numerous records by other artists, often as a vocalist. He 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 "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. The latter of these is intended as an 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 RJD2's 2013 album More Is Than Isn't.
He released his solo-debut titled "Charity Starts at Home" on September 27, 2011 through FE Music.[3] His second album, No News Is Good News, was released on March 2, 2018.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] |
US R&B [5] | ||
| Charity Starts at Home |
|
61 | 9 |
| No News Is Good News |
|
— | — |
Collaborative albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] |
US R&B [5] | ||||||||||||
| Love the 80's (with Zo! as Zo! & Tigallo) |
|
— | — | ||||||||||
| Tigallerro (with Eric Roberson) |
|
— | 19 | ||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Extended plays
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time |
|
With Little Brother
- The Listening (2003)
- The Minstrel Show (2005)
- Getback (2007)
- Leftback (2010)
- May the Lord Watch (2019)
With The Foreign Exchange
- Connected (2004)
- Leave It All Behind (2008)
- Authenticity (2010)
- Love in Flying Colors (2013)
- Tales from the Land of Milk and Honey (2015)
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 |
References
- "5th & Fashion (skit)". Warnerchappell.com. Warner/Chappell Music. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
- "MVRemix Urban Interviews Phonte of Little Brother – Online Rap Magazine". Mvremix.com. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- Phonte [@phontigallo] (May 5, 2011). "Phonte. Charity Starts at Home. 09/13/11. #FEMusic" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Phonte – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- "Phonte – Chart history: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- "Stream Phonte's Surprise New EP 'Pacific Time'". OkayPlayer.
