Conversations with DatKid Smoove

Today we’d like to introduce you to DatKid Smoove.

Hi DatKid, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story really starts in the Bay Area. I’m DatKid Smoove, and I grew up in Pinole, California. Music was always something I connected with, but Hard2Reach actually started as an idea between me and my brother — a name and a vision that eventually became much bigger than just music.

After graduating from Pinole Valley High School, I moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV. I was young, didn’t really know anybody, and had to build a whole new circle from the ground up. That experience ended up being extremely important to my development as an artist. I started meeting other musicians, producers, creatives and engineers, and eventually I started recording music wherever I could — even recording in a dorm-room closet under the name DatKid Smoove.

Las Vegas became a huge part of my musical education. I met people who helped me understand recording, production and the business side of music, including Kenechi Ubani, who became one of the most important collaborators in my early career. Through those relationships, I went from making music in bedrooms and small studios to getting into professional recording environments and learning how the industry actually worked.

My first mixtape, The Improvement, came out in 2012, followed by projects like Leisure. In 2014, I made the decision to leave college and my career at Apple to pursue music full-time. That was a major turning point. I released my first studio album, RedEarthxBlueMoon, and started getting attention outside of the Bay Area. The project received recognition from HotNewHipHop and I was selected for Power 106 LA’s “Who’s Next” program. I also had opportunities to work with people connected to major music companies and ultimately chose to continue building my own path rather than simply signing away the vision.

Los Angeles became another major part of that journey. Between LA, Las Vegas and the Bay Area, I was constantly moving around, recording, networking, shooting videos and trying to figure out where I fit into the larger music landscape. I wasn’t trying to become somebody else — I was trying to figure out how to take everything I was learning and turn it into something that belonged to me.

Eventually, I realized that the bigger vision wasn’t just about DatKid Smoove.

It was Hard2Reach Entertainment.

I returned to the Bay Area and started rebuilding Hard2Reach around the idea that independent artists and creatives deserved a real platform. The name “Hard2Reach” became less about being difficult to find and more about the idea that there are talented people everywhere who are simply hard to reach because they don’t have the right connections, resources or opportunities.

That’s really what Hard2Reach became about: growth in unity.

Instead of competing with every artist around me, I wanted to build something where artists, producers, videographers, photographers, engineers, designers and other creatives could connect and help each other move forward. Over the years, Hard2Reach has worked with independent artists and connected with creatives across the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Our team has consistently traveled between those three cities, and each one has played a different role in the story.

The Bay Area is home. It’s where I grew up, where the original Hard2Reach idea came from and where I eventually returned to rebuild the brand.

Las Vegas is where I really learned how to become an artist. I moved there without knowing anybody and built relationships from scratch. It introduced me to people, studios and experiences that completely changed the direction of my career.

And Los Angeles became the place where I began seeing how my music could exist beyond my immediate circle — from recording sessions and industry relationships to media, radio and opportunities that exposed me to a much larger audience.

Along the way, I’ve released a lot of music and continued evolving. Projects like Heart & Soul, RedEarthxBlueMoon, EvenForTheSummer, LesserThan, Feelings in the Summer, Last Year Was Hard 4 Me and Feelings in the Summer 2 have all captured different periods of my life. Hard2Reach has remained the common thread.

And now I’m bringing the story full circle with my newest album, RedEarthxBlueMoon 2.

The original RedEarthxBlueMoon was an important project in my early career, so coming back to that name years later means a lot to me. This isn’t just another album — it’s a continuation of a story that started when I was a young artist trying to figure everything out and has followed me through the Bay Area, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and every chapter in between.

RedEarthxBlueMoon 2 features Jake Nealey on “Daydreams,” Tee Cheri Babie, Bugsi and Ringi on “Don’t Let Me Down,” J.O.W.Y. on “Blessed,” Gwapo on “No No No,” and Cylus, Bugsi and Raymia on “Run It Back,” along with the rest of the album being driven by my own experiences and perspective. The album is officially part of the Hard2Reach Entertainment catalog.

What makes this album especially meaningful is the people behind it. Hard2Reach has never been about trying to create music in isolation. It’s about bringing different people, sounds and locations together. You can hear pieces of the Bay Area, Vegas and LA throughout the journey — not necessarily because every song is literally about those places, but because those places shaped who I became.

At the end of the day, I’m still an independent artist. I’m still creating. I’m still building. And I’m still trying to give other people the opportunities and visibility that I wished I had when I was first starting out.

That’s DatKid Smoove.

And that’s Hard2Reach.

It started with a name, a dream and a couple of kids from the Bay Area trying to create something of their own.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. If anything, the difficult moments are what shaped DatKid Smoove and Hard2Reach into what they are today.

There have been a lot of ups and downs — financially, creatively, personally and professionally. When you’re an independent artist, you’re not just making music. You’re also trying to fund projects, find the right people, promote yourself, build relationships, travel, create content and figure out the business side at the same time. There were plenty of moments where I questioned whether I was doing the right thing or whether all the work was actually going to lead somewhere.

One of the biggest challenges was leaving the stability of a traditional career to seriously pursue music. I had opportunities and responsibilities outside of music, but I knew I couldn’t fully commit to the vision unless I was willing to take a risk. Moving between the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Los Angeles also meant constantly rebuilding relationships and finding my place in different music scenes.

There were also people I thought would be part of the journey who eventually weren’t. Some relationships changed, some collaborations didn’t work out, and there were times when people didn’t believe in the vision. As an independent artist, you learn pretty quickly that you can’t wait for everyone else to believe in you before you start believing in yourself.

Hard2Reach itself went through growing pains. What started as an idea between brothers eventually became a real entertainment brand, and figuring out how to turn that idea into something sustainable wasn’t easy. I’ve had to learn the business through experience — sometimes by making mistakes, sometimes by trusting the wrong people, and sometimes by realizing that I needed to change the way I approached things.

Another challenge has simply been balancing everything. I’m an artist, but I’m also a father, a husband, a professional and a person with responsibilities outside of music. Finding time to create while still showing up for my family and career can be difficult. There are days when music has to wait, even when creatively I’m ready to go.

But I think that’s also what makes the music more authentic.

I don’t come from a story where everything was handed to me. I’ve had to build things piece by piece. Every album, every collaboration, every Hard2Reach event, every relationship and every opportunity has come from continuing to show up.

That’s probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned: the road doesn’t have to be smooth for you to keep moving forward.

RedEarthxBlueMoon 2 is actually a reflection of that. Coming back to the title of one of my earlier projects years later represents how much has happened since then. I’m not the same person or artist I was when I made the first one. I’ve experienced more, lost people, gained people, made mistakes, learned the business, became a father and continued building Hard2Reach through all of it.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth.

But I wouldn’t trade the journey for an easier one. The struggles gave me something to talk about, something to build from and, most importantly, a reason to keep going.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My professional life has always been about building things, solving problems and showing up for people.

During the day, I’m a Senior IT Engineer with more than a decade of experience supporting global organizations. I’ve worked across technology, healthcare, biopharma and the video game industry, including experience with companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Electronic Arts, Activision and other major organizations. I’ve supported everything from everyday end-user technology to enterprise systems, identity and access management, device management, cloud applications, conference-room technology and large-scale IT operations.

My technical career has taught me how to stay calm when things go wrong, figure out the root cause of a problem and, most importantly, take ownership until it’s resolved. I’ve worked with platforms including Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, Jamf, Okta, Apple Business Manager, Azure, Teams, Zoom and many other enterprise technologies. I’ve also had the opportunity to work in the video game industry on projects connected to major franchises, including Call of Duty, Tomb Raider, The Sims and Battlefield.

But outside of IT, there’s another side of my professional life that is just as important to me: I’m DatKid Smoove, an independent artist and the founder of Hard2Reach Entertainment.

Music has been a completely different kind of career path. Instead of troubleshooting someone else’s technology, I’m creating something from scratch and trying to build a platform where other independent artists can do the same. Hard2Reach started from a simple idea and grew into an independent entertainment brand connecting artists and creatives across the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

I’ve released multiple projects throughout my career, and my newest album, RedEarthxBlueMoon 2, is especially meaningful because it connects back to an earlier chapter of my career. The album features collaborations with artists including Jake Nealey, Tee Cheri Babie, Bugsi, Ringi, J.O.W.Y., Gwapo, Cylus and Raymia.

What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily one particular job, album or accomplishment. It’s the fact that I’ve been able to build two completely different careers while continuing to grow in both of them.

In IT, I’m known for being someone people can rely on when they need help. In music, I’m known for being an independent artist who continues to create and for trying to bring other people along with me through Hard2Reach.

I think what sets me apart is that combination. I’m technical, creative and entrepreneurial, but underneath all of that, I’m someone who genuinely cares about people. Whether I’m helping an employee get their laptop working, supporting a critical business system, recording a song, helping another artist promote their music or working on a new Hard2Reach project, my approach is basically the same:

Show up. Figure it out. Take ownership. Keep moving forward.

That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve learned throughout my career. You don’t have to fit into one box. You can be an IT engineer, an artist, a founder, a father and a creative at the same time. For me, all of those experiences have shaped who DatKid Smoove is today.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If there’s anything I’d want readers to understand about me, it’s that I’m still growing.

A lot has changed since I first started making music. I’m not the same artist, the same person or the same father I was years ago. Becoming a father to two daughters has probably been one of the biggest things that changed my perspective. It gave me a different understanding of time, responsibility and legacy. I don’t just think about what I’m creating today anymore — I think about what I’m building that my daughters can look back on years from now and be proud of.

That mindset has also changed the way I look at Hard2Reach.

I don’t want Hard2Reach to simply be a place where artists submit music and hope somebody listens. I want it to become a real ecosystem for independent artists — a place where people can find each other, collaborate and actually create opportunities.

As we’re preparing for my next album release, Heart & Soul 2, we’re also revamping Hard2Reach and looking at new ways to connect artists with one another. We’re working toward creating more organized avenues for artists to submit music, discover collaborators, exchange contacts and find opportunities.

One of the ideas I’m especially passionate about is building organized databases and spreadsheets where artists can opt in and share their information — artists, producers, engineers, videographers, photographers, DJs, venues, promoters and other creatives. Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t talent; it’s simply not knowing who to reach out to.

If I can help remove that barrier, that’s meaningful to me.

We’re also interested in developing stronger relationships with streaming platforms, Spotify-related opportunities, independent music organizations and other potential partners that can help create more visibility for artists who are doing things independently. I want Hard2Reach to be able to help artists understand not just how to make music, but how to actually build something around their music.

And I want to bring back the community aspect of music.

Cyphers. Listening sessions. Community events. Artist showcases. Creative meetups. Collaborations. Conversations between artists who might otherwise never meet.

I think there’s something special about putting a group of creative people in the same room and simply letting them create.

That’s something I’ve always loved about the Bay Area, but my vision for Hard2Reach isn’t limited to one city. I’ve experienced the music scenes in the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and I’d love to continue connecting those communities while eventually expanding the network beyond California and Nevada.

For me personally, Heart & Soul 2 represents that next chapter.

I’m older. I’m a father. I’ve experienced more life. I’ve made mistakes, learned from them, lost people, gained people and changed the way I think about music and business. I’m more interested now in creating things that have meaning than simply creating things for attention.

That’s what the title Heart & Soul means to me. It’s about putting more of myself into what I create.

And that’s really where DatKid Smoove is right now.

I’m still making music, but I’m also trying to build something bigger than myself.

If you’re an artist reading this, I want you to know that Hard2Reach is always looking for new music and new creatives to connect with. Artists can submit their music and information through Hard2Reach Entertainment at hard2reachent.com, and we’re continuing to build out new ways for artists to connect, collaborate and get involved as we prepare for the Heart & Soul 2 era.

I don’t want Hard2Reach to be a gatekeeper.

I want it to be a bridge.

There are so many talented people who are one connection away from their next opportunity. If Hard2Reach can help make that connection happen, then we’re doing what we were created to do.

At the end of the day, I’m just a kid from the Bay Area who started making music, became a father, built a career, took some chances, made some mistakes and kept going.

I’m proud of where I’ve been.

But I’m even more excited about where we’re going.

Pricing:

• Free Submissions

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hard2reachent.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hard2reachent
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DatKidSmoove/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackery-taylor-86b20165/
• Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/DatKidSmoove/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@datkidsmoove
• Other: https://en.everybodywiki.com/DatKid_Smoove

Image Credits
DrewShotYa
JJoseph Media
Heath Visuals
Paramount Recording Studios