Founded in 2005, the San Francisco-based, full-service independent record label SMC Recordings has quickly risen to the top echelon in sales and national acclaim in just a few short years. SMC originally grew out of a vision co-founder and CEO Ralph Tashjian had in the early 2000’s to launch a new kind of record label, based in his hometown. He knew the opportunity existed to build from the ground up an imaginative company that could fill the space between the corporate monoliths major recording companies and the D.I.Y. outfits, while releasing a bevy of quality music. Teaming up with native Will Bronson, the label has blossomed into an “indie on the verge” as dubbed by Billboard Magazine with a star-studded roster which includes Killah Mike, Jacka and the legendary Rakim to name a few. 2009 promises to be an exciting year for the little label from the Bay Area with the announcement of SMC becoming a publicly traded company, making it one of the first indie rap labels to ever do so. Look for more exciting and innovative moves from SMC in 2010.