Hoping they get the nod today- Foreign Exchange

I will watch them this time in hopes they get TV time. I haven't watched them in earnest in the past couple of years. Only here and there or flipping back and forth. I hear that the untelevised portion of the Grammys will air live @ www.grammy.com 4pm EST / 1pm PST

You can find some of the other features I have done on them in case this is your first time here via the search box..Posts like this one here. http://thewarehous.blogspot.com/2009/07/simply-put-we-have-to-start-celebrating.html

Here is a picture of them with Roberta Flack, Ludacris and Hiroshima.





Courtsey of http://www.nicolaymusic.com/2010/01/grammy-week-the-foreign-exchange-meets-quincy-jones.php

Here is a little piece on them done by another place.

Full interview here




Hands down, The Foreign Exchange was one of the most genius singer – producer collaborations to happen to urban music in the early 2000s. The trans-Atlantic duo, who first met on the popular online message board, Okayplayer, is categorized best as R&B meets contemporary electronic meets hip hop. The first ingredient is Nicolay, a Dutch producer from the Netherlands who hones in on his talent of concocting original composition. The second ingredient is Phonte, rapper slash singer, and one half of the acclaimed hip hop group Little Brother. The rest is history.

I first grew fond of The Foreign Exchange after hearing the 2004 debut album, Connected, which featured a host of appearances including Rapper Big Pooh (of Little Brother), YahZarah, Darien Brockington and Median. Tracks like “Nic’s Groove”, “Happiness” and “Be Alright” were on constant rotation. Now, six years and one album later, The Foreign Exchange are practicing their acceptance speech. Their sophomore album, Leave It All Behind, is nominated for a 2010 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track “Daykeeper” which features one of my favorite jazzy soul sistas’, Muhsinah. I was more than delighted to catch up with Nic and Phonte and talk to them about The Foreign Exchange, their exciting nomination, and what’s in store for the future.

Krysten Hughes: The two of you were first introduced on the Okayplayer message boards while Nicolay was living overseas and Phonte, in North Carolina. You put together an entire album before having even met in person. Tell me how that went down and eventually lead to the idea of The Foreign Exchange.

Phonte: I remember Nicolay posting up some of his music, wanting others to hear it. I listened and I thought it was incredible so I hit him up and asked him if he wanted to do music together. He agreed so we started exchanging songs back and forth through instant messenger and e-mail. From there, we created The Foreign Exchange.

KH: Nicolay, what do you feel you have contributed as a Dutch producer to American R&B and hip hop music?

Nicolay: I think that what might set me apart from other producers is that I have a wide variety of music that I like, and music that I like to make. I like to incorporate different styles and overall my desire to experiment with different types of music.

KH: You tend to use live instruments rather than samples like many producers today. Why?

Nic: Truthfully, I run into a wall with creativity when sampling music. I am not able to branch out how I would like to. It’s also incredibly hard to get music that is sampled licensed for music and television shows, so I like to create music that is 100% original and be the owner in terms of rights.

KH: Phonte, how is working with Nicolay under The Foreign Exchange different then your collaboration with other artists you have worked with in the past, like 9th Wonder, Kev Brown and DJ Shadow?

Phonte: What sets him apart from other producers is because we have chemistry, we don’t have to talk about a whole lot. Overall putting music together and the feel of what we are going for goes together. He will send me a track and I won’t have to do anything, and vice versa. I can send him a song and he will have it completed immediately. I don’t explain a lot. Not that I have had to explain a lot to the other producers, but we just kind of intuitively get it. That is very rare.

KH: The Foreign Exchange is nominated for a Grammy in Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Daykeeper” featuring Musinah from the “Leave It All Behind” album. As artists that have emerged from the underground, what was your initial reaction to the nomination?

Nic: My first reaction was what in the world!? I didn’t believe it. I think the main thing that we take out of it is that you can follow your heart and instinct and stay true to yourself and still elevate within the industry.