The biggest Rawstyle Group on Facebook recently started its own music label. RSU Records shall become a new place for upcoming raw-hardstyle artists. A lot of releases are already in the pipeline. So time for HardstyleMag to meet the founders for an interview.
Zwiesel
The group on Facebook counts as one of the biggest Rawstyle communities. With more than 45.000 members, the group is actively discussing anything arising from and around the scene. Doesn’t matter if it’s the latest release of a certain artist, news about an event – anything hot gets posted and discussed here.
With such a big group you definitely own a unique and important source to measure what the scene currently needs – but you also have a big channel to communicate your news. Especially when this group has its own label.
This might be the reasons for the group owners to do exactly this step – they founded the label “Raw Style United” or in short RSU Records.
Lets start with the interview:
Hey Guys, nice to see you. Thanks for the time. Can you please introduce yourself?
Hi Guys, first, thanks for the great opportunity, really appreciated!
Well, I’m Rohan, for this topic known as head-admin of the Raw Style United Facebook community and owner of the brand itself.
Besides the Facebook-group/community we have organized several events and did multiple Raw Style United hostings at other events. As well we did merchandise for a short time.
But, since I’m always busy with evolving and innovating, we launched our newest music imprint last month. Straight from the community: RSU Records!
So, wow the biggest Rawstyle Group on Facebook now has its own label. Congratulations. How was the idea developed?
Yeah, it’s quite big for us too. Since I’m not doing this all by myself, but together and equal with the rest of the team.
Well, the idea actually developed very funnily. Over the years it slipped through my mind now and then, but I never really turned it into an idea.
However, we also run another label (Triplex Records), which is Euphoric/Hardstyle-oriëntated. The thing was, we also received lots of Raw demo’s and for months we were struggling about what to do with those.
Since we have a bookings agency, artist management and a media-section as well, it could be interesting to scout other artists with much potential, so at one point we decided that we had to create another label for it.
So, at that point, one of the chiefs of the company said: “But Rohan, u also have Raw Style United – a huge community, why not create a label out of that?
That was when RSU Records was born, and since we have a huge team atm, things went pretty fast from that point.
We guess according to the title, it will be strict rawstyle won’t it?
Yes, but, Raw Hardstyle also developed in some kind of sub-genres within the genre itself. So it will be a broad spectrum after all.
Is the label accepting demos, or do you build a steady team of signed artists around it?
Of course, we will accept demos! And for the other part; yes, we are planning to create a steady ‘roster’ of 4-6 artists, but we deffo want to leave enough spots open for other submissions that will fit our vision.
What can we expect from the label?
Well, what to expect. We had our first releases so far with tracks from Jason Payne, The Shade and BENGR. All well-known names or at least rising or established talents!
That’s also the direction we will follow; have a mix of unknown names, well-known talents, and perhaps bigger names with guest releases!
Of course, it’s connected to our community Raw Style United so in the future, there will be events, hostings and showcases in combination with the label for sure!
Can you maybe share a hint who is going to release? Haha
For the next tracks, we have again that specific mix of new and steady names. Also, we did sign an VERY well known name for at least one year and 5 tracks on our label, so stay tuned for that one!
Where can people follow RSU Records? For example also on TikTok?
For now, it’s Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and YouTube. I think our marketing manager was also busy with TikTok so let’s see what she comes up with haha!
The RSU group on FB is pretty large. Can you remember back to the day when you set it up on Facebook?
Yeah, it really exploded over the last few years. It’s actually not created by me, but by Betty, a very nice French lady who is a huge Hardstyle-fan as well.
I became part of the team in 2016 when the group had only 14K members, today it has 46K. After that, I created a Facebook-page next to the group (which has around 14K followers) and of course Insta, YouTube, and Soundcloud as well.
Raw Style United became more than just a Facebook group with Events and hostings, merch, other socials, and now: a record label.
The current Raw seems to be pretty hard, do you think it will always go harder?
I think music in general will keep evolving and evolving. It’s hard to say where a specific border within a genre is set, but I assume that when that border is reached, a new sub-genre will arise.
In the case of Raw Hardstyle, it already has an obvious bridge to Hardcore so I don’t think it will get very much harder anymore.
Personally, how did you get in touch with Hardstyle or Raw-Hardstyle?
Well, for me it was around 2004 that I really bumped in the music itself. But my whole life was always more into ‘bass-influenced’ music styles. So it wasn’t a big surprise that I got attracted to it.
In 2006 I went to my first Hardstyle party, but Raw Hardstyle was ‘created’ years later.
I have my own artist-act as well (TWSTD, solo nowadays) and I’ve been active as Raw Hardstyle-duo for 2,5 years, where we also released 5 Raw Hardstyle tracks at WE R Raw from Brennan Heart. I think that’s the best way to describe my connection with Raw.
Nowadays I went back to mainstream Hardstyle, though it’s still ‘Raw’ influenced with hard and pounding kicks.
Are you running other Projects besides RSU?
Yes, I actually do. As said above, I have my own Hardstyle act TWSTD, I own Raw Style United, I’m responsible for a huge part of the lineup and creative process of Bassrulers Outdoor and I’m operation Manager of Hard Island Croatia.
Besides that, I run Triplex Entertainment with several others where we have 2 record labels, a bookings agency, an artist management agency, an event organization and a media section. RSU Records is also a part of that.
What do you guys do in your spare time?
Most of us have a family with or without kids, daily jobs (besides running the companies and our own music stuff) and we have our own hobbies and passions. We have a huge team so it would take another interview to point that all out hahah.
If you would describe yourself as an animal. What would it be and why?
Though one. I would prefer to be an aliën.
Any Message to your fanbase
Keep following Raw Style United, Triplex Entertainment and RSU Records for sure because very nice things are planned for the future and it won’t be just music!
All Releases
The list of releases is continously growing, but up to date these are the releases currently available