Oceanside Records is a highly commended, youth-led record label in Devon that engages vulnerable and excluded young people by using rap, drill, and music production as a creative release to process trauma and build positive pathways away from crime.
Founded in 2022 by a 17-year-old who had been excluded from mainstream education, this groundbreaking project overseen by non-profit creative education organisation, Sound Communities. By offering raw, authentic peer mentorship, the label earned a “Highly Commended” distinction at the National Crimebeat Awards.
For many young people growing up in the more deprived pockets of Torbay and South West Devon, the future can feel predetermined. Surrounded by crime, substance abuse, and systemic exclusion, a generation of youth has grown up feeling written off by conventional systems.
The founders of Oceanside Records recognised that local youth carried “talent and pain in equal measure,” but lacked a safe environment to channel either. When deep-seated experiences of trauma, grief, and anger have no constructive outlet, they invariably spill onto the streets, pulling vulnerable teenagers into anti-social behaviour.
Innovation and Activities
While traditional youth services often distance themselves from genres like rap and drill, Oceanside Records leaned directly into them. The project is completely run by youth, for youth. Young creators take total ownership of the process: writing lyrics to untangle their past traumas, tracking vocals in the studio, filming video content, and managing digital promotion. It provides an immediate, respected, and culturally relevant reason for high-risk individuals to disengage from street crime and show up to create.
A headline success of the project is the creation of the Oceanside Cyphers. Historically divided by neighbourhoods, towns and reputations, young people from rival and deprived areas across Torbay, Plymouth, and Exeter were brought together by a shared passion for music.
Instead of territorial conflict, the cypher format fostered an environment of intense mutual encouragement and respect. Alongside these community-building performance circles, the label provides consistent studio time and mentorship. They have successfully pushed their young artists into the mainstream spotlight, securing 10 professional music videos, slots on seven festival stages, and radio airplay on BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, and Kiss FM.
Impact and Evaluation
One young artist (Ctwenty8) noted that seeing their work gain traction online completely shifted their perspective, proving there is a tangible future in music. Another shared that having the label as a goal kept them inside writing bars instead of out on the corners getting into trouble.
Oceanside Records has reached over half a million views, giving young people something to be proud of and a genuine platform to build themselves as artists.
Oceanside Records is determined to ensure this is not a short-term project, but a permanent fixture in the South West creative ecosystem. As the young creators refine their skills in recording, mastering, and audio engineering, the long-term goal is to establish the label as a reliable career pipeline. By consistently linking raw street talent with real music industry opportunities, they are proving that music can provide a legitimate, sustainable lifestyle far away from the criminal justice system.
