Meet Genesis Renji of House Of Renji

Today we’d like to introduce you to Genesis Renji.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Genesis. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started the House Of Renji in 2013 with my partners Jaya Robinson and Oby Nwabuzor. At the time, the House was created as a way for me to separate myself from the other artists and groups in the Milwaukee music scene. Since then, we’ve grown into a label that houses more than five other creative artists and producers. Garnered an Emmy nomination, journalism award, radio music nominations and hosted a couple of successful tours.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Hell no. If it was smooth I’d be worried. Some of the biggest struggles being how to lead a company of people into a future you all want but have no real “right” way of being there.

Other struggles being having a large group of people working under you and feeling like everyone’s not delivering to their full potential. Outside of the typical financial struggles, I believe every leader has felt at one point or another that the people they’re leading may not be giving their 100%. Is that the leader’s fault or the people following the leader? Who’s to say.

I’ve felt at times it was their fault, but mostly it was mine. So even now, one of my biggest focuses is being a stronger, more empathetic leader.

House Of Renji – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Official answer: the House Of Renji is an independent record label based in Milwaukee, WI. We specialize in music distribution, event curation, and artist development.

Unofficial answer: the House is the shit. We’re the standard. We’re RocNation meets Dreamville, and nobody can put together better shows than our artists.

What sets us apart is the fact that we do shit our own way. We have the business mindset and prowess to maneuver in any space, but we also bring an authenticity that a multitude of people relates and gravitate to. I’m proud of what this label has been, is currently, and what it will become.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my personal career is performing at the Milwaukee Bucks halftime show in front of a sold-out arena. I felt like Drake. It’s the moments like those that remind you, “Okay, you’re on the right path. Everything is beginning.”

The proudest moment of my career for the label was when the local station 88.9 Radio Milwaukee asked us to headline the 2018 Radio Milwaukee Music Awards. To be able to headline one of the biggest musical events in our city for the station that plays all of our artists consistently, a proud moment. I was able to watch people’s appreciation for each of our artists and the artists we admire and work with up close. It’s motivational and exhilarating.