Renaissance Recordings · Richmond, VA
Artists
Meet the artists, producers, and engineers building the Renaissance Recordings catalog. Choose an artist to explore the music and available physical editions.
The roster
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roc raw
Co-founder / Artist
Richmond, Virginia MC and Renaissance Recordings cofounder roc raw approaches hip hop with an emphasis on writing, perspective, personality, and respect for the craft. His music is rooted in independent, underground hip hop, balancing sharp lyricism, humor, lived experience, and a willingness to let records develop their own character rather than chase whatever sound happens to be moving at the moment.
As an artist, roc raw draws from the traditions of lyric driven hip hop while maintaining a voice that is distinctly his own. His records favor substance over spectacle, with an approach built around memorable writing, strong concepts, and music meant to reward repeat listening.
In 2024, roc raw released Carte Blanche through Renaissance Recordings. The project served as a statement of both artistic identity and creative independence, reflecting the larger philosophy behind Renaissance: artists maintaining ownership, releasing music intentionally, valuing physical media, and building direct relationships with the people who support the work.
That philosophy extends beyond his own catalog. As a cofounder of Renaissance Recordings, roc raw has helped develop the Richmond based independent label into a platform for artists who value individuality, ownership, collaboration, and long term creative growth. His role within Renaissance includes helping shape the label's direction, building relationships within the local hip hop community, organizing live events, and creating opportunities for artists to present their work without being forced into a single sound or identity.
Whether representing Renaissance Recordings or standing behind the microphone as roc raw, the objective remains the same: make music with intention, protect the individuality behind it, and build something worth carrying forward.
Sonny Kolfax
Co-founder / Artist
Richmond, Virginia emcee and Renaissance Recordings cofounder Sonny Kolfax is best known today as the voice of Cult Classic, the hip hop duo he shares with producer Akai Phifer.
As the emcee of Cult Classic, Sonny brings the writing, perspective, and personality that define the group from the microphone, while Akai Phifer handles production. The partnership gives Sonny a focused outlet for his work as an MC and allows Cult Classic to operate with a clear identity built around the chemistry between rapper and producer.
In 2025, Cult Classic released 28 Herringbones through Renaissance Recordings, further establishing the group as Sonny's primary artistic vehicle and an important part of the label's catalog.
Outside of his work with Cult Classic, Sonny is one of the original architects of Renaissance Recordings. He cofounded the Richmond independent label in 2020 alongside roc raw and has helped shape its commitment to artist ownership, creative independence, collaboration, and giving individual artists room to develop without forcing the entire roster into one sound.
That balance between artist and builder is central to Sonny Kolfax's place within Renaissance. Cult Classic gives him the space to speak as an emcee, while Renaissance provides a larger platform built around the same values of individuality, ownership, and intentional creative work.
For Sonny Kolfax, the goal is not simply to participate in hip hop, but to contribute to something with its own identity, both through Cult Classic and through the independent foundation Renaissance Recordings continues to build.
ReddHanded
Artist / Producer / Engineer
Richmond, Virginia artist, producer, and engineer ReddHanded brings more than two decades of musicianship and lived experience to Renaissance Recordings. His work is grounded in hip hop at its most direct, personality driven, and unapologetic, with an approach shaped as much by Richmond as by his own individual perspective.
ReddHanded's connection to Renaissance runs deeper than simply joining a roster. Longstanding relationships with Sonny Kolfax and roc raw helped make him a natural part of the label's extended creative family, and his presence represents the kind of artist Renaissance was built to support: someone with an established identity who does not need to be reshaped to fit a label template.
As an artist, ReddHanded has developed a catalog that includes projects such as The House Of R!ck Jame$ and records including Weed Is Expensive and Hot Box. His music reflects a personality that is difficult to separate from the records themselves, giving his work a character that feels distinctly his rather than manufactured around a particular trend.
That individuality also carries into his work beyond the microphone. As a producer and engineer, ReddHanded understands the record making process from multiple angles, giving him the ability to contribute creatively both to his own music and to the larger environment around him.
Within Renaissance Recordings, ReddHanded represents experience, authenticity, and personality. He is an artist with history behind him, his own creative instincts, and no need to pretend to be anything other than what he is.
FIE THAT SHIT UP BUCKO.
Trill Nik
Artist
Trill Nik is an emcee whose work with Renaissance Recordings is built around consistency, collaboration, and steadily expanding his catalog. Rather than treating every release like an isolated moment, his music reflects an artist developing his voice through a growing body of work and continuing to give listeners new reasons to follow what comes next.
In 2023, Trill Nik released Trill Till Death through Renaissance Recordings, establishing an important foundation for his presence on the label. Since then, he has continued building on that groundwork through new records and collaborations that broaden his catalog while keeping his identity at the center.
In August 2026, Trill Nik returned with The Jux 2, featuring Boymurda, beginning a new run of releases designed to keep the momentum moving rather than disappearing between projects. The record is followed by Guerrero Loves Chyna, featuring Trilla Da Don, continuing a period of consistent releases and collaboration.
Trill Nik's place within Renaissance Recordings reflects the label's belief that artist development happens through actual work: creating records, building a catalog, collaborating with other artists, and allowing an audience to grow alongside the music.
With Trill Till Death behind him and a new series of releases underway, Trill Nik is focused on the next stage of that growth, adding to his catalog one record at a time while continuing to establish exactly who he is as an artist.
Slumdogg
Artist
Originally from Washington, D.C. and now firmly connected to Richmond’s hip hop scene, Slumdogg is an emcee whose music carries the perspective of someone shaped by more than one city. Though he is widely considered a Richmond artist today, his roots in D.C. remain an important part of his story and the path that brought him to Renaissance Recordings.
Slumdogg’s music is built around personality, directness, and a willingness to let the records reflect who he actually is. His catalog does not feel overly polished for the sake of presentation. Instead, the appeal comes from character, perspective, and the sense that the artist behind the music is present in every record.
In 2023, Slumdogg released Music I F** With 2* through Renaissance Recordings, a project that became a significant part of both his catalog and the label’s early development. He has continued expanding that body of work with releases including Good Night, God Morning, further establishing his voice within the Renaissance roster.
His relationship with Renaissance Recordings reflects the label’s broader approach to artist development: give artists room to be themselves, build meaningful catalogs, and allow their identities to develop naturally rather than forcing them into a predetermined sound.
As a Washington, D.C. transplant who has become part of Richmond’s independent hip hop community, Slumdogg brings both histories with him. That combination gives his music a perspective that is distinctly his own and makes him an important part of the character of Renaissance Recordings.
King Preme
Artist
King Preme is a Richmond, Virginia emcee whose music is grounded in confidence, perspective, and a strong sense of artistic identity. His work within Renaissance Recordings reflects an artist focused on building a catalog with substance rather than simply adding more records to the pile.
In 2025, King Preme released The Annexation of Puerto Rico through Renaissance Recordings, establishing an important chapter in his catalog and strengthening his presence within the label. The project gave listeners a clearer picture of his voice as an artist while expanding the range of styles and perspectives represented across Renaissance.
King Preme's relationship with the label is also defined by collaboration. His work alongside other Renaissance artists connects him naturally to the broader creative network surrounding the roster while allowing him to maintain an identity that remains distinctly his own.
That collaborative approach continues with The Phillip Morris Boys, an upcoming single with roc raw. The record adds another layer to King Preme's growing body of work and continues Renaissance Recordings' emphasis on artists creating together without sacrificing individuality.
Within Renaissance, King Preme represents an artist continuing to develop through releases, collaboration, and consistent creative work. With The Annexation of Puerto Rico establishing a foundation and new music continuing to expand his catalog, his focus remains on building something substantial one record at a time.
Akai Phifer
Producer / Engineer
Akai Phifer is a Richmond, Virginia producer and engineer whose work is built around texture, feel, and a deep respect for the foundations of hip hop production.
His sound leans heavily into sample based music, drawing from soul, jazz, grit, atmosphere, and the kind of imperfections that give records character. Rather than chasing clean, overly polished production for its own sake, Akai Phifer focuses on creating records that feel lived in, intentional, and built to support the artist in front of them.
One of his primary creative outlets is Cult Classic, the duo he shares with emcee Sonny Kolfax. Within the group, Akai Phifer handles production while Sonny provides the vocals, giving the two a clear rapper and producer dynamic built around chemistry and a shared musical identity. In 2025, Cult Classic released 28 Herringbones through Renaissance Recordings.
Akai Phifer's role also extends beyond beatmaking. His work as an engineer gives him a broader understanding of how records are constructed, from the initial production choices through recording, mixing, and final presentation. That perspective allows him to approach music as a complete process rather than a collection of separate technical steps.
Within Renaissance Recordings, Akai Phifer represents the production side of the label's creative identity. His work reflects the same philosophy that drives Renaissance as a whole: respect the craft, protect individuality, and make records with enough character to stand apart without chasing trends.
Habeeb
Artist / Producer / Engineer
Habeeb is a Southside Richmond, Virginia artist, producer, engineer, and battle tested emcee whose music refuses to stay in one lane.
A longtime participant in Richmond’s battle rap circuit and a former Southpaw Battle Coalition World Champion, Habeeb developed his foundation in an environment where writing, presence, timing, and originality are tested directly. That lyrical background remains an important part of his music, but it represents only one side of what he does.
Habeeb’s range can take him from dense, aggressive emceeing and socially conscious writing to melodic records, polished vocals, soul, and R and B within the same body of work. His influences reach across lyrical hip hop, alternative rap, soul, jazz, gospel, and experimental production, giving him a musical vocabulary broad enough to move between styles without losing his identity.
That versatility extends behind the scenes. Habeeb produces and engineers the majority of his own music, giving him control over the full creative process from the initial idea through the finished record. He also serves as a major creative force behind IAMI Collective, producing and engineering music for the group in addition to contributing as an artist.
His early catalog includes the 2014 mixtape Mis3ducation of hAb33b and the 2016 EP The Weak. More recent work includes Where Do We Go From Here and Injoy or Die with IAMI Collective, projects that further demonstrate the range that has become central to his identity.
Habeeb’s relationship with Renaissance Recordings began long before he officially joined the roster. Connections formed during the early years of his battle rap career led to years of collaboration, eventually developing into a formal place within the label.
More than any particular genre or technique, what separates Habeeb is personality. He is unapologetically himself, whether the record calls for intricate bars, melody, humor, vulnerability, experimentation, or something completely unexpected. That refusal to reshape himself for approval is not simply part of his image. It is the foundation of his music.
MsSimoneJ
Artist
Originally from Brooklyn, New York and now based in Richmond, Virginia, MsSimoneJ is a conscious hip hop artist whose music is grounded in faith, integrity, and purpose.
As an emcee, she draws from the tradition of lyric driven hip hop while bringing a perspective shaped strongly by her Christian faith. Her music carries gospel influence without abandoning the grit, honesty, and directness of hip hop, allowing her to address life, belief, identity, and personal responsibility from a viewpoint that feels sincere rather than performative.
Her influences come from artists known for substance, strong writing, individuality, and conviction, spanning classic New York hip hop, modern lyricism, and socially conscious music. That foundation can be heard in an approach that values message and meaning just as much as technique.
MsSimoneJ introduced herself as a recording artist with 11:59, her first full length project. The release established the core of her artistic identity and was followed by the single Be Simone, continuing a catalog built around authenticity and self definition.
Her connection with Renaissance Recordings developed organically through relationships within the label's creative circle, eventually growing into a lasting place within the Renaissance family. Her presence adds another perspective to a roster built around artists being allowed to represent themselves honestly rather than conform to one predetermined sound or image.
Outside of music, the same principles that shape MsSimoneJ's records are reflected in how she lives. Her faith is central to her identity, and she regularly dedicates her time to charitable work and serving others.
More than anything, integrity defines MsSimoneJ as an artist. She does not separate what she believes from what she creates. Her music is an extension of the same values she carries beyond the microphone, making her voice distinct not simply because of what she says, but because she stands behind it.