Phonte on Intro’s “Intro” Redux (1993)

Episode notes

We are re-airing one of our all-time favorite episodes. It’s our discussion with Phonte about Intro’s self-titled album from way back in 2017.

This week rapper, producer, and songwriter Phonte (Foreign Exchange, Little Brother) joins Oliver and Morgan to talk about R&B group Intro’s 1993 self-titled debut album. The release was part of the changing tide of R&B music, when slow jams were giving way to more uptempo hits and singers were exchanging suits for Timbs and jeans.

Phonte shares about what Intro’s brand of new jack swing meant to him as a teenager learning about life in Greensboro, North Carolina. Don’t get him wrong: he was a hardcore hip-hop head, but he grew up both in an R&B household and in the church where singing was a big part of his musical formation. Phonte breaks down the group’s influence on his understanding of songwriting, lyrics, and the balance between uptempo and down-tempo songs. He also discusses the album’s mature themes, crediting them for helping a young brother’s macking game.

More on Intro

• Intro’s Allmusic profile
• Soul in Stereo article on Intro

More on Phonte:

• Phonte’s biography
• Phonte’s Twitter, Instagram
• More on Foreign Exchange’s latest release, Hide & Seek
• Hear Phonte every week on Pandora’s Questlove Supreme