He linked up with Philadelphia producer Sleep E early in 2002 to begin recording his first solo project, The High Life which was released in 2002. The 10-track album opened doors for Reef, and he began performing at area clubs, generating praise from fans and media alike. In February 2003, Reef released his second studio album Invisible Empire, an 18-track album that he distributed himself by way of a national schedule of shows. He won the Mic Check Battle in Philadelphia in 2003, after which he travelled to Oakland, California to take 2nd place in the Blaze Freestyle Battle. Titles and accolades aside, Reef describes the first year of his recording career as a time of growth, both professionally and personally. Life experience really came about in my writing, he says. I was comfortable with reaching beyond being simply an emcee and becoming a musician.