Amsterdam based label Unexpected Records was set up by producer Perquisite in 2001 to release unexpected music in the broadest sense of the word, with the main focus on NuJazz and Hip Hop. After two jazzed out instrumental Hip Hop EP’s on which Perquisite collaborated with saxophoneplayer Benjamin Herman (2001) and clarinetist David Kweksliber (2002), 2003 was kicked off by an EP by Amsterdam Hip Hop collective North West Metropolis (Perquisite, Pete Philly, Omar Rey a.o.), soon followed by a 12” of Dutch hiphopgroup The Proov. After this, Perquisite hooked up with MC Pete Philly and in January 2004 their Mindstate EP was released. A year later followed the Mindstate album which dropped in Japan in collaboration with P-Vine Records and all over Europe in collaboration with Epitaph.

Mindstate caused quite a stir in the international musicscene with Talib Kweli proclaiming Pete & Perq to be ‘lightyears ahead of the game‘ and UK’s Notion magazine calling Mindstate ‘as much 21st century soul as hip hop genius’. Pete & Perq started touring all over the world with their live formation: they opened up for Kanye West and James Brown, played at all the major festivals, like Sonar (ES), North Sea Jazz (NL), Lowlands (NL), Splash (DE) and Cape Town Jazz (SA) and at clubs like Paradiso (NL), Le Bataclan (Paris, FR) and The Viperroom (LA, US). In May 2006 Mindstate also dropped in the States, Canada & Australia. Their second album 'Mystery Repeats' has been released in The Netherlands on September 7th, was released in the rest of Europe on february 18th and in Japan on March 5th.

Besides exclusively releasing the music of Pete Philly & Perquisite, Unexpected still keeps it’s ear to the streets; In May 2004 a 6-track EP by Hardjazz-formation Monsieur Dubois was released and in February 2006 the debut EP of Dutch NuJazz/Hiphop-producer Arts the Beatdoctor saw the light, which was followed by his debut album Transitions in July 2007.