Reno Smiff, a Rochester New York native, earned his stripes as just one of the local “neighborhood stars” that was known more for his exploits in the streets than his skills as an MC. Most people didn’t know he rapped until they would hear his music and ask who the rapper spitting the bars was. Only those closest to him knew that while he may have been involved in various activities on the block, he kept his eye focused on a career in music.
While briefly living in North Carolina, he happened...
Reno Smiff, a Rochester New York native, earned his stripes as just one of the local “neighborhood stars” that was known more for his exploits in the streets than his skills as an MC. Most people didn’t know he rapped until they would hear his music and ask who the rapper spitting the bars was. Only those closest to him knew that while he may have been involved in various activities on the block, he kept his eye focused on a career in music.
While briefly living in North Carolina, he happened across a few individuals from different parts of New York City and formed somewhat of a super group. He began a solo career which piggy backed off of the substantial success of the group and a star was born. Contract offers began materializing for the group, but due to different personal reasons, it was decided that they continue to pursue solo careers with the goal of reconnecting as a group once they achieved individual success.
Upon returning to Rochester, and after establishing himself as one of the top tier MCs locally wherever he went, Reno began to study more of the business side of hip-hop. Russell Simmons, J.Prince, Suge Knight, and Sean Combs weren’t just names on credits on CDs, they became case studies for an artist who wanted to build himself into a brand. After receiving two different contracts, one he signed and one he passed on, he realized that being signed to a label in the traditional sense was not the most ideal move he could make. Taking a page from Eazy-E and Jay-Z, Reno began to build his business acumen as he was sharpening his skills as an already formidable talent and set out in the footsteps of these rapper/CEOs.
Upon re-locating to Florida, he quickly realized that more and more artists were mastering the digital revolution that has become commonplace. He felt artists in the south had a better understanding of the independent side of the business out of necessity, due to the fact that they lived out of the shadows of the labels with headquarters in the Empire State. While frequenting TJ’sDJs quarterly “Tastemakers” conference, he started networking with regional artists and learning both the pros and cons of establishing himself as an independent. He would later become a friend’s de-facto manager/consultant, but parted ways when it seemed that he wasn’t a priority in a movement he had a hand in building.
Since 2008, he has joined forces with Hennessey James, another artist he would frequently cross paths with. Based on their mutual respect of each other’s skills, the two formed an alliance that would later become known as The Skam Squad. The two would go on to individually release the now classic mixtapes “The Product of The Hu$tle” and “The Land of The Fee” on a label they formed together, 5850 Music Group (taken from the combination of the area codes for Rochester (585) and Northwest Florida (850)). They now release mixtapes and independent album projects on the label while looking to further their individual and collective brands in other areas of entertainment.
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