Asylum Records' Paul Wall Debuts at No 1

NEW YORK, NY (Warner Music Group) - Paul Wall's "The People's Champ" (SwishaHouse/Asylum Records) debuts at No 1 on the Billboard "Top 200" chart this week, with first-week sales of 176,800 units in the U.S. alone. Wall's album is the 3rd top ten hit for Warner Music Group's (NYSE: WMG) newly established Asylum Records since it was created a year ago as part of the company's incubator initiative.

"I am thrilled that so many people are realizing Paul Wall's talent," said Todd Moscowitz, president, Asylum Records. "Our ability to identify and partner with some of the leading urban labels in the industry and help them take their artists to the next level truly validates the incubator initiative and the value that these partnerships create for everyone involved. First, Mike Jones, then Webbie, now Paul Wall, it's been a great year for Asylum Records."

Houston-based rap star Mike Jones' album "Who is Mike Jones?" (Warner Bros./Asylum/SwishaHouse) debuted at No 3 on Billboard's "Top 200" in April. The album has sold more than one million copies.

In July, Webbie's "Savage Life" (Asylum/Trillville) debuted at No 8 on the Billboard "Top 200" chart and has sold more than 215,000 copies nationwide.

Asylum Records was created by WMG in 2004 to provide marketing, distribution and sales services to urban, independent music labels and artists.