Connected is the first studio album by the Foreign Exchange , a hip hop group consisting of American rapper Phonte from Little Brother and Dutch producer Nicolay . It was released on BBE on August 24, 2004.[ 6]
Their group name comes from how they produced their songs: Nicolay would produce a beat in the Netherlands and send the beat to Phonte through instant messaging , email , and traditional mail to lay down the vocals. Phonte would return the product, so Nicolay could then master the track; they did not meet until after the album was completed.[ 8]
Pitchfork placed it at number 22 on the "Top 50 Albums of 2004" list.[ 9] In 2015, it was ranked at number 86 on Fact ' s "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list.[ 10]
Title 1. "Foreign Exchange Title Theme" 2:28 2. "Von Sees" 2:11 3. "Raw Life" 4:48 4. "Hustle Hustle" 3:39 5. "Let's Move" 3:55 6. "Nic's Groove" 5:37 7. "Be Alright" 4:16 8. "Sincere" 4:47 9. "Brave New World" 4:58 10. "The Answer" 4:39 11. "Come Around" 4:01 12. "Happiness" 4:42 13. "Foreign Exchange End Theme" 2:01 14. "All That You Are" 4:33 15. "Be Alright (Nicolay's Easybreezy Sunday Afternoon Remix)" 3:04 16. "Call" 2:45 17. "Downtime (Nicky Troutman's Bounce to the Ounce Remix)" 2:55
Phonte – vocals
Nicolay – production
Yahzarah – vocals (on "Foreign Exchange Title Theme", "Sincere", and "End Theme")
Von Pea – vocals (on "Von Sees")
Joe Scudda – vocals (on "Raw Life")
Quartermaine – vocals (on "Hustle, Hustle")
C.A.L.I.B.E.R. – vocals (on "Hustle, Hustle")
Rapper Big Pooh – vocals (on "Let's Move", "Nic's Groove", and "Happiness")
Median – vocals (on "Be Alright" and "All That You Are")
Frank Ford – vocals (on "Be Alright")
Kenn Starr – vocals (on "The Answer")
Oddisee – vocals (on "The Answer")
Sean Boog – vocals (on "The Answer")
Darien Brockington – vocals (on "Come Around", "All That You Are", and "Call")
^ Kellman, Andy. "The Foreign Exchange - Connected" . AllMusic . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Rabin, Nathan (September 27, 2004). "The Foreign Exchange: Connected" . The A.V. Club . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Drimmer, Josh (September 8, 2004). "Dusted Reviews: The Foreign Exchange - Connected" . Dusted Magazine . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Cowie, Del F. (September 30, 2004). "Foreign Exchange - Connected" . Exclaim! . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Warren, Jamin (September 14, 2004). "The Foreign Exchange: Connected" . Pitchfork . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ a b Umile, Dominic (January 5, 2005). "The Foreign Exchange: Connected" . PopMatters . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Barone, Matt (June 15, 2004). "Foreign Exchange :: Connected :: BBE Records" . RapReviews.com . Retrieved April 23, 2016 .
^ Brown, Marisa. "The Foreign Exchange - Biography" . AllMusic . Retrieved December 4, 2017 .
^ "Top 50 Albums of 2004 (3/5)" . Pitchfork . December 31, 2004. Retrieved December 5, 2017 .
^ "The 100 best indie hip-hop records of all time: 86. The Foreign Exchange - Connected" . Fact . February 25, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2016 .