Phonte Coleman
Phonte in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Phonte Lyshod Coleman
Also known as	Percy Miracles
Born	(1978-12-28)December 28, 1978 (age 46) Lumberton, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop R&B
Occupations	Rapper singer songwriter producer podcaster
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Foreign Exchange Music
Member of	Little Brother The Foreign Exchange
Formerly of	Justus League

Phonte Lyshod Coleman,^[1] known mononymously asPhonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, and producer. He is also a member of Team Supreme, that co-hosts theQuestlove Supreme podcast.^[2]

Phonte is a member of theNorth Carolina hip-hop trio/duoLittle Brother (revived in 2019 without producer9th Wonder) and one-half of the duoThe Foreign Exchange. He has also recordedR&B-flavored output as a singer (often under the pseudonymPercy Miracles), and with Nicolay on The Foreign Exchange.

Phonte first met the other members of Little Brother, rapperBig Pooh and producer9th Wonder, in 1998 while attendingNorth Carolina Central University, as anEnglish major.^[3] 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.^[4] The album's success led to the group signing a non-exclusive deal withAtlantic Records.

The group's 2005 album,The Minstrel Show, was a concept album dealing with themes including the current state of hip hop music. The album received positive reviews, without commercial success. During the recording of their third album, the group announced the departure of 9th Wonder on amicable terms, as well as a parting of ways with their label. Through a contractual clause they returned to ABB Records and releasedGetback in late 2007.

Phonte met Dutch producerNicolay virtually on an OkayPlayer message board. The duo released their debut album,Connected, having never met face to face. The Foreign Exchange has released four albums. The group received a Grammy nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track "Daykeeper" (featuring Muhsinah) from the second album,Leave It All Behind.

Phonte has appeared on numerous records by other artists as a vocalist. His lyrics tend to include perspectives on working-class life.^[3] Phonte made a guest appearance on the song "Beats N' Rhymes" from producerKev Brown's album "I Do What I Do", and has also recorded tracked with producer Oddisee, both members of the Washington D.C. (DMV)-basedLow Budget collective. In 2006, he was featured on producerDJ Shadow'sThe Outsider album. In the following year he contributed vocals to rap groupPlayaz Circle's song "Paper Chaser", from their albumSupply & 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.Zo! & Tigallo Love the 80s is a homage to early 1980sR&B and pop music and features covers of popular songs such asa-Ha's "Take On Me",Toto's "Africa", andJoe Jackson's "Stepping Out". He appeared onDanny!'s 2012 albumPayback as well asRJD2'sMore Is Than Isn't in the following year.

He released his solo-debut titledCharity Starts at Home on September 27, 2011 through FE Music.^[5] His second album,No News Is Good News, was released on March 2, 2018, and was included inBandcamp Daily's best-100-albums-of-2018 year-end list (placed at #42).^[6] Phonte also featured on the track "No Wish" byBlack Milk, along with Raphael Saadiq.^[7]

• The Listening (2003)
• The Minstrel Show (2005)
• Getback (2007)
• Leftback (2010)
• May the Lord Watch (2019)

• Connected (2004)
• Leave It All Behind (2008)
• Authenticity (2010)
• Love in Flying Colors (2013)
• Tales from the Land of Milk and Honey (2015)

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPhonte.

• Phonte RBMA video lecture session
• Interview with Phonte and Nicolay at Leisure Lab

• 1978 births
• Living people
• African-American male rappers
• 20th-century American male rappers
• Rappers from North Carolina
• Singers from North Carolina
• Atlantic Records artists
• Record producers from North Carolina
• Musicians from Durham, North Carolina
• American hip-hop singers
• American contemporary R&B singers
• 21st-century American rappers
• 21st-century American male singers
• 21st-century American singers
• 21st-century African-American male singers
• 21st-century American male musicians
• 21st-century African-American musicians
• 20th-century African-American musicians
• The Foreign Exchange members
• Little Brother (group) members
• Justus League members

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from December 2019
• Articles with hCards
• Commons category link is on Wikidata