KOCH Records to Release 'Afro Samurai - The Soundtrack' With Original Score by RZA on January 16th, 2007

NEW YORK, NY (KOCH Record) - KOCH Records announces the release of the soundtrack of "Afro Samurai," a new animated miniseries which will premiere on Spike TV on January 4th, 2007. The soundtrack features an original score by RZA, plus tracks featuring Big Daddy Kane, GZA, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli and the extended Wu Tang Family.

"Afro Samurai" is the animated epic, based on a graphic novel by Takashi Okazaki, of a black samurai's hunt for the gunman who murdered his father. Academy Award-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson stars as the uncompromising hero in this stylish series that crosses cultural boundaries as a fusion of animated samurai action and hip-hop culture.

The talented RZA is arguably best known as a musical mastermind and MC in the influential hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan followed by a solo career as a rapper and producer. He also has an increasing list of Hollywood credits including composing both of Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies, Jim Jarmusch's "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" and "Blade: Trinity," as well as "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" and "Unleashed." RZA has also experienced motion picture success as an actor and was in "Derailed," "Coffee and Cigarettes," "Scary Movie 3" and "Ghost Dog."

"As a fan of martial art and old Japanese Samurai movies, I have always wanted to be a part of such creativity and to have my own spice added is even better. Many hip hop artists and musicians from the late '80s to now have been inspired by this form of entertainment, and today's animators have been stimulated by hip hop. But, usually these two forms of expression never meet in the same realm of artistry," said RZA.

"'Afro Samurai' offers me the opportunity to mix the innovational world of hip hop with the visual imagination of Japanese animation. The vibe of 'Afro Samurai' is so soulful and cool, that when I was asked to compose the series my creative juices immediately reacted. I felt it was something meant for me to do; in many ways Afro and myself share the same spirit."

The animated series is produced by Japanese studio Gonzo and will premiere on Spike TV on January 4th, 2007. FUNimation Entertainment, one of the nation's leading independent home video entertainment companies, will bring the story to DVD in spring 2007.
Please visit www.afrosamurai.com for the latest news and information on this evolution in entertainment.