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Who is The Foreign Exchange?

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Who is The Foreign Exchange you ask? The Foreign Exchange is the perfect fusion of soul, R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and electronica – sounds masterminded by Phonte (of hip-hop group Little Brother) and producer, composer and performer Nicolay.

ā€œIt was around 2002 so it was somewhat of a radical concept to be making an album by e-mailing parts. When (Little Brother) was doing records, Nic and I were doing stuff for the first album and it was actually Pooh (the other half of Little Brother) who thought of the name,ā€ said Phonte. ā€œWe were in the studio and he said ā€˜itā€™s like a foreign exchange program.ā€™ā€

The two met on a Web site message board courtesy of Okayplayer.com, began making music and instantly realized they had something special; they had synergy. Nicolay was living in Holland while Phonte resided in North Carolina.

Nicolay and Phonte are more than just two men whoā€™ve done your basic collaboration. Their sound is said to be the music youā€™ve been waiting to hear, but didnā€™t know where to find. Although the duo comes from different music backgrounds, The Foreign Exchangeā€™s sound stands out among other hip-hop artists and groups.

ā€œWe just try to come up with music that sounds good and feels good,ā€ said Nicolay.

Phonte and Nicolay began colleting a legion of fans with their debut album ā€œConnected.ā€ This premier record explores life and love to laid back and genuinely pure hip-hop, R&B and electronica.

The Foreign Exchange followed a very successful ā€œConnectedā€ with ā€œLeave It All Behind.ā€

According to their Web site, ā€œthe duo’s second full-length is a dark, multilayered affair that features Phonte showcasing his abilities as an exceptional lead and harmony vocalist, while Nicolay extends his musical palette to include sprinklings of jazz, down tempo and house.ā€

Their music is loved, but it takes one to see The Foreign Exchange live on stage to get the full experience of who the two are. Nicolay believes their music is a very important angle, but itā€™s the entire experience that keeps fans wanting more.

ā€œThatā€™s where your longevity comes from. I doubt people doing shows doing four, five songs will still have careers,ā€ said Phonte. ā€œThis is what we do. This is who we are. I hopefully would like to do this for the rest of my life and the only way to do that is if youā€™re giving people something theyā€™d like to come back for and quality music on a consistent basis.ā€

Phonte and Nicolay give fans their all and make music that they are proud of.

The pair may have originated from different music backgrounds however see The Foreign Exchange as a force destined to grow. Theyā€™ve developed and nourished their brand and have plans to engage other musicians into their movement.

ā€œPeople who are already in our families and extended network, like Carlitta Durand, we want to put on our shoulders and see if we can apply what weā€™ve learned in order to help their projects get a little more shine,ā€ said Nicolay.

Upcoming projects include Nicolayā€™s solo album ā€œCity Lights Vol. 2: Shibuyaā€ followed by the support of singer Carlitta Durand and producer/keyboardist Zo!’s upcoming projects.

So who is The Foreign Exchange? They are Phonte and Nicolay, two talents mingling head-bobbing beats behind true lyricism. The Foreign Exchange is the missing link to todayā€™s music climate. The Foreign Exchange is hands down good music.

For more information, visit www.theforeignexchangemusic.com, www.myspace.com/theforeignexchange and www.twitter.com/feofficial.

Up Close & Personal w/ The Foreign Exchange

When: Saturday, Aug. 15

Where: The Athenaeum, 401 E Michigan St.

Time: Doors open at 6 p.m. | Show starts at 7 p.m.

Featured artists: featuring Darien Brockington, Carlitta Durand, Zo!, The Els and special guest appearances by DJ Limelight and Alpha.Live

Tickets: $20 limited presale | $25 advance | $30 day of show | $60 VIP

For more information or tickets, visit www.theprocircuit.com.

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