Welsh rapper Elro is the first artist to release music through Freshnut Records, a label created and owned by YouTuber Dan Bull.
Elro rose to fame in 2011 following a viral hit on YouTube channel SB.TV - an outlet that shines a spotlight on underground and rising grime artists. He previously signed with The Beats, a record label founded by The Streets' Mike Skinner, and 679 Artists, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers that also housed artists such as Marina and the Diamonds and Plan B.
His new record 'Inside Out' is dubbed as a "'musical depiction of the wide range of emotions experienced by humankind". The first single 'Amsterdam' dropped on June 21st and the music video is available to watch on SB.TV's channel.
"I would say that neither of us really properly fit into the rap world," Elro told us regarding his signing.
"So I thought kind of going with someone like Dan would make sense 'cause we're both somewhat outcasts of the rap world, yet we're both pretty good at rap so it just seemed to make sense to me."
Freshening up
Bull, notorious for his video game-themed rap tracks, has been releasing his own work via the label since 2009.
"At the time Freshnut Records was just the name I used to fill in the appropriate part of the submission form," Bull explains, speaking to InfluencerUpdate.biz.
"Since then I have released hundreds of singles and albums under the label. And it's still just the name I use to fill in the appropriate part of the submission form. Until now!"
Bull has been familiar with Elro's work for a long time and considers him a "great fit" for Freshnut. Elro's contacts within the UK rap scene mixed with Bull's experience with YouTube makes for a powerful promotional combination.
"Similarly to me, he is seen as a bit of an outsider to the music scene as his work can be eccentric and silly, but at the same time, he's capable of creating beautiful, raw, vulnerable music as this EP demonstrates," Bull adds.
Elro isn't the last artist to hop onto the Freshnut roster. Bull is keen to expand his work with the label, offering more spaces for artists to flourish. However, he wants to ensure that each artist that comes on board receives the maximum amount of attention.
The label isn't the only project Bull is working on either. He's also in the process of setting up a multimedia studio space for YouTubers, musicians and creators to use.
