We had the good fortune of connecting with Zack Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zack, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Our brand, Hard2Reach Entertainment (founded by Zack Taylor aka DatKid Smoove) finds its success in focusing on the independent creatives within each community and putting their work on the frontline. The industry has become so saturated and diluted that we aim to do a flip on it and focus on the independent creatives with quality + a story filled passion that deserve to be heard.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Zackery Michael Taylor born February 25, 1993 better known by his stage name DatKid Smoove, is an American rapper and founder of the distribution label Hard2Reach Entertainment.

In 2010, Zackery Michael Taylor graduated from Pinole Valley High School , carrying a brand he & his brother dubbed “Hard2Reach Entertainment”.

In Jan of 2014 DatKid Smoove had left college & his career at Apple Inc. too pursue music full time. With the release of his first studio album, RedEarthxBlueMoon reception was instantaneous. Far from the “Bay Area Norm” of the Hyphy movement, DatKid’s lyrical album RedEarthXBlueMoon reached “heat seeker” status on HotNewHipHop. Shortly after, he soon obtained the title of “Whose’s Next 2014” among the top 16 musical artists in the nation , Power106 LA. At that time, Smoove hadn’t released any streamable content aside from on DatPiff & SoundCloud , but was soon found by Arsenic Magazine in 2015 & Lesley Jordan of Epic Records (both of which he passed on signing deals with).

After 4 years of working in the music industry, DatKid Smoove decided to retrace his steps. Through the pains of fame, glory and dealing with the music industry at such a young age, he decided to move back to the Bay Area and reestablish his brand Hard2Reach Entertainment as a full fledged distribution label for independent artists and all things entertainment . With the aim for “unity” attention was brought to him by Empire Distribution, after recording at his 27th industry studio. Smoove also caught the eye of renown rapper Mistah F.A.B. who shortly walked into Smoove’s “welcome home” session for #EvenForTheSummer. Shortly, after running into his middle/high school classmate , P-Lo of The HBK Gang , taking advice and “reading the city” , Smoove saw an opportunity for growth. Within the last 2 years (2018–2020) Smoove has connected 100+ brands, distributed over 200+ independent artists and has released his latest music project Feelings in The Summer & #LesserThan via Apple Music, Spotify & more with the help of videographers Tristan Custodio,[17] Eric Bui, Yonus Ford, Calikeo & LJ Cunningham.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Our team constantly travels from the Bay Area to Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Here are our top places to visit, eat and best scenery in all 3!

Las Vegas:

Places :

Icebox Canyon – hiking
7 Magic Mountains – visual art
Container Park – downtown LV

Food:

Raising Canes
Carson Kitchen
Gordon Ramsey Burger

Los Angeles

Places :

Venice Beach – getaway
Paramount Recording Studios – music recording
Wi Spa LA

Food:

Yamashiro Hollywood
Porto’s Bakery
Stouts Burgers and Beers

Bay Area

Places:

Devils Slide – Scenic
Jack London Square – food & eats
Folsom flea market – goods

Food:

Homeroom
Toyose
Red onion

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We owe a huge majority of the credit to our successes to the amazing artists that make up the whole of our community. Without the daily submissions from the independent creatives who put forth the quality and work into their passion, there would be no us.

Alongside our friends and family who have been on this 10 year journey with us from: Kenechi Ubani, Chller, Code Otaku, David Cruz, Tyler Casey, Sean Muniz, Eric Bui, Chris Ulrich, Jack Joseph Media, Eric Vozzola, Yonus Ford of MotionHandProductions , Tristan Custodio & the Vacado team, Melissa Ching of Obstacle Illusion, Kombat With a K & Infinite Rhythm Studios, too Redwall Sunny of Redwall Studios .. without their belief and passion to consistently push our craft, there would be no Hard2Reach Ent.

Shoutout our internal team as well from RYU, Elias, Peter & DatKid Smoove whose daily interactions / contributions make the growth of our community happen!!

Website: http://www.hard2reachent.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hard2reachent/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC2WkFjEXzuaUPWXTJCe_UTQ

Other: Hard2Reach https://g.co/kgs/Dzh3d1

Image Credits
#GrowthInUnity Collab with Melissa Ching founder of Obstacle Illusion (hats) The Grill Recording Studios w/ Part of Team s/o Empire Distribution Label engineer Dre

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