Avatar Records is an independent record label and management company founded by Larry Robinson with offices in Los Angeles and London, England. The company was founded in 1987 in the garage of his family home in South Los Angeles. Albums released the Oz soundtrack, Planet Asia, Fear of a Black Hat soundtrack, Bishop Don Magic Juan, the NVA Straight from the Crates compilation, and the soundtrack to the television show Girlfriends. Avatar has digitally distributed over three hundred record labels with songs by Anya Marina, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Wu-Tang Clan, Mary J. Blige, Amy Winehouse, Erykah Badu. History Early years: 1987–1996 Larry Robinson started Avatar as a music publishing company in the mid-1980s, and opened its first office on the corner of Sunset & Vine street in Hollywood in 1989. Avatar publishes songs recorded by artists including Tony Toni Tone, DMX, Brandy, Tupac, Redman, Foxy Brown, Vanessa Williams, Bell Biv Devoe, Patti LaBelle, Boyz II Men, Ja Rule, Guy, Vinx, Keith Murray, and others. The company licenses music it owns into film and television programs and commercials. Avatar administers and collects royalties around the world through a network of leading publishers on behalf of their writer and publishing partners. In 1999 Avatar bought the Whole Nine Yards music publishing catalog which owned the musical copyrights to songs recorded by many R&B recording artists. Avatar's initial releases were released under a label deal with PolyGram Records' subsidiary Polydor. In 1994 Avatar released the soundtrack to Rusty Cundieff's cult film "Fear of a Black Hat". The soundtrack featured the song, "Ice Froggy Frog" a parody of Snoop Dogg's "What's My Name". In 1995, Avatar released "Pump Ya Fist", the rap companion album to Mario Van Peebles film Panther. This compilation featured newly recorded exclusive tracks by The Fugees, Tupac, KRS-One, Chuck D, Grand Puba, and others. A KRS-One track "Ah Yeah" was the lead single from the compilation. Rapper Rakim recorded the song "Shades of Black" (produced by Easy Moe Bee) for the compilation which was named as one of the "50 Incredible Rap Songs You Need to Hear (Right Now)". Avatar donated $10,000 each to the Huey P. Newton Foundation and the Geronimo Pratt Legal Defense Fund. In 1996 Avatar released the debut album of R&B group Goodfellaz which spawned the Top 25 Billboard hit single "Sugar Honey Ice Tea". Notable releases One of Avatar's most successful releases was the soundtrack