Avatar Records

One of Avatar's most successful releases was the soundtrack to the hit HBO series OZ. The soundtrack featured the hit single "Behind The Walls" by Kurupt & Nate Dogg. The song reached #1 status at over 20 radio stations in the US. The soundtrack also featured newly recorded music by Snoop Dogg, Styles & Jadakiss, Master P, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang Clan and many others. A video for "Behind The Walls" directed by Gregory Dark garnered airplay at MTV and BET. The OZ Soundtrack remains the second highest selling soundtrack to an HBO TV series (second only to The Sopranos soundtrack). Simultaneous with the release of the OZ Soundtrack, Avatar Records donated $10,000 to the Innocence Project, a non-profit organization which seeks to gain freedom for wrongfully convicted prisoners through DNA testing. Avatar released Grammy nominee Planet Asia's 2004 solo debut album "The Grand Opening". The album featured the singles "Right or Wrong", "Its All Big" and "Pure Coke" featuring Martin Luther. Planet Asia's album was chosen as the Best Indie Release of 2004 by The Source magazine. Another Planet Asia track "G's & Soldiers" featuring Kurupt was featured in the MGM film Be Cool (film) "Be Cool" starring John Travolta. Avatar recording artists One Block Radius released their debut album "Long Story Short" in 2006 in the US and in 2007 in Europe. OBR's single "Black Mercedes" was released in the UK in May 2007 and received airplay on UK radio stations including BBC, BBBC London, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio 2 and other major stations. OBR's lead singer Marty James was featured on the underground single "Stunna Glasses" by the group The Federation. Legendary pimp turned preacher Bishop Don Magic Juan released a compilation of old school R&B love songs on Avatar in 2006 entitled "Green is for the Money, Gold is For the Honeys Vol. 1". The album featured songs by Willie Hutch, William DeVaughn, The Chi-Lites, The Temptations, Peabo Bryson and many others. Bishop is heard "Skinin Game" in between the songs on the album. Bishop Don Magic Juan is best known for giving up pimping for life as a preacher and spiritual advisor to many well known celebrities. In 2010, superstar DJ Benny Benassi sampled Bishop's voice to record a mashup dance single entitled "A Pimp & A Prostitute". Avatar released the underground hip hop compilation National Vinyl Association Straight From The Crates Vol. 1 in April 2004. This project, conceived as a tribute to the hip hop DJ and vinyl records, featured Mos Def, Pharcyde featuring Jurassic 5, Blackmoon, Rakaa and Babu of Dilated Peoples, Phil da Agony and Planet Asia, Joey Zozza featuring D12, and Grouch and Ely. Avatar released Colorado-based artists Deux Process in 2006. The album, In Deux Time featured the singles "Take the Dance" and "The Process". In 2009 Avatar released the soundtrack to the long running CW Network television show "Girlfriends" which featured an all female lineup of singers including Jill Scott, Chaka Khan & Mary J. Blige, Chrisette Michele, Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, India.Arie, Estelle, and South African star Lira among others. 2010 brought Avatar's release of the Final Season soundtrack to the Showtime television series The L Word. The soundtrack featured an all female lineup including Reni Lane, Costanza, Carla Tomas, Jaymes Bullett, Tilly and the Wall, Client, Sharleen Spiteri, Gabriella Cilmi, Jill Barber, Holly Palmet and others whose music had been featured in the last season of the show. In response to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Avatar put together the Jazz For Japan charity CD. The album featured many of the top jazz musicians in the world including Ndugu Chancler, Nathan East, Tom Scott, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, George Duke, Rickey Minor, Billy Childs, Marcus Miller, Kenny G, Lee Ritenour, Alex Acuna, Christian McBride, Herman Jackson, Chuck Berghofer, and many others.