AV The Great

Screw making lemonade — Denton rapper AV the Great ( real name Christopher Avant) turns lemons into gold.

One night when Avant was a college student, a blackout on his street inspired an impromptu block party. When the cops arrived to quash the fun, he returned home. But soon, the police were at his door and accused him of “inciting a riot.”

Avant tried explaining they had the wrong guy. The next thing he knew, though, an officer had launched his head through a window. The impact made him black out, but he got up and fought back.

“I just remember how it ended: with two cops slamming me,” Avant says.

Luckily for Avant, he walked away in one piece, albeit a little traumatized. He spent a short time in jail and now carries a small scar above his right eyebrow. Navarro College expelled Avant following the melee, but he says the ordeal was a blessing in disguise: It made him take his music career more seriously.

And now, with a new music video, album and record deal, it’s all starting to pay off.

On Friday, Avant dropped the video to his single, “We Had Love.” It’s a catchy yet somber track, and the artist says he wrote it following the back-to-back deaths of his uncle and the rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle.

A message opens the nearly 5-minute long video: “We went to 3 Black Owned Businesses and paid for food, haircuts, and beauty supplies,” it reads. Then, Avant appears, seated on the counter of a Denton soul food joint. Later, the camera follows him to a local barbershop and beauty supply store.

“I’m entrenched in this community,” Avant says. “I love my city, no matter where I’m at at the time or what I’m doing.”

“I’m entrenched in this community. I love my city, no matter where I’m at at the time or what I’m doing.” — AV the Great
In November, Avant announced he’d signed a deal for his label, #NoFakeHandShakes, with EQ Distribution, the independent distribution platform under Jay-Z’s agency, Roc Nation. It was just the bid Avant had been waiting for. He retains his label’s music rights, and he says Roc Nation is a business that’s dedicated to social justice initiatives.

The deal couldn’t have come at a better time. Avant says he was keeping his album — also titled #NoFakeHandShakes — on the back burner until he signed with a company that he fully believed in.

“They’re fighting battles inside the industry and changing the rules,” he says of Roc Nation. “It’s a great opportunity. I’m going to make the most of it.”

The number 11 plays a big role in Avant’s life; after working as an artist for 11 years, he released his 11th project, #NoFakeHandShakes, on 11/11. Avant says he places great importance in the meaning behind the number, which according to numerology.com is “dynamic and capable when its sights are set on a concrete goal.” With several irons in the fire at all times, that may as well be a description of Avant himself.

On Feb. 8, Avant will bring the club experience to Andy’s Bar in Denton for his #NoFakeHandShakes album release show. Ever the businessman, he’s constructed a three-tiered bundle for his fans priced at $10, $20 and $100.

Among other perks, the latter two bundles will include raffle tickets. And what will AV the Great be raffling off, you might ask? Just a trip for two to Las Vegas — no biggie.

That “go big or go home” mentality permeates everything Avant does. In addition to his label name and LP title, Avant also runs his own #NoFakeHandShakes clothing line. Fittingly, the upcoming event will double as his brand’s fashion show.

It took a full three years to complete #NoFakeHandShakes, Avant says; he’s scrupulous when it comes to selecting beats. But being meticulous has panned out for the rapper. Even though it was just released two months ago, the album has already accrued over 750,000 streams.

Still, that number falls slightly short of Avant’s goal.

“I thought I’d be at a million right now,” he says with a laugh. “But it feels good. I’m enjoying the ride.”

Over the years, Avant has collected several accolades. In 2015, he won the award for Best Underground Southern Rapper at the Underground Music Awards in New York City. And he was the reigning Best Hip-Hop artist three years running for the Denton Arts & Music Awards, between 2017 and 2019.

Avant has a music video for his next single, “Clam,” lined up for imminent release; one for “Vision” dropped last September. And he says he’ll begin an extensive tour starting next month, touching down every two weeks in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Phoenix.

Aside from being a rapper, AV used to deejay for K104 (104.5 FM) under the moniker Chris Cole. It’s a profession that runs in the family, too; his dad and uncle were also DJs. Avant enjoyed his six years on air and says he was responsible for breaking Dallas-based rappers like Post Malone and Yella Beezy.

But now, Avant says it’s his turn to enjoy the spotlight’s glow.

“I know it’s my time,” he says, cracking a wide grin. “This is something I’m going to be doing until I’m dusty and gone. I mean, I’ll probably be waiting for y’all in the afterlife with a fresh-pressed mixtape.”

Source: Dallas Observer - Dallas Observer

Or maybe it's AV the Great that's got next. The Denton-based rapper was recently featured on The Source's website thanks to a pair of new tracks he raps on that were produced by Timbaland protégé Velly and were premiered on Tim's Soundcloud page. We featured one of those last week in this column, and you can find the second one below. - Central Track

When I think of Hip Hop history in the “DFW”, Dallas Ft. Worth, many thoughts come to mind.

I can remember when “Dickies and Houseshoes” came out in 94’ and everybody I went to school with at Atwell middle school was wearing dickie suits. The Local turned regional hit had everyone in the city feeling proud that we finally had someone to represent from our hometown. After a long drought, rapper Mr. Pookie and Mr. Lucci exploded onto the scene with worthy albums, a highly respectable flow and lyrics that made the dfw stick our chest out with the feeling of arrival. Rumor was that Mr. Pookie was never offered the record deal that he felt would best fulfill his aspirations. Thus another long drought before George Lopez and “DSR” allowed us to peak into their world of what they called “truck pop and screw music”. Artist such as Tum-Tum and Big Tuck evolved as artist and negotiated a recording contract with universal. People from all over the df-dub was speculating why no one else from the Dallas Ft. worth area was breaking into the hip hop scene like H-town and ATL artist, pointing the finger at local dj’s that are looking to break themselves rather than breaking local artist. Go dj’s and Definition dj’s with help from the likes of radio personality Skip Cheatam was under fire for not supporting local artist without being paid thousands of dollars first. What a sham!

When I think of the present and future there is only one name that deserves to be mentioned in my humble opinion. AV The Great, rapper from Denton has just dropped a hot mixtape called “Man In The City-2″ which displays the smash hit- “Need a Raise” produced by Lexi Banks. I also like “Keep it Trill, WYS, and Place To Be”. AV The Great, who holds down a day job at K104fm as Chris Cole has proven that he has a southern flow that can compete with the likes of the top rappers in hip hop right now! Ladies and Gentleman he is ready! With acknowledgements from D-magazine, Dallas Observer, Social Media and the streets of dfw Av may be the next rapper to sift the paradigm in hip-hop. In a quote Av revealed; The main reason why the DFW isn’t respected globally for hip hop is because we haven’t had a artist breakthrough and give the impression that he or she can hang on a track with the Kanye’s, Ti, Jay-z’s and such but this project shows and proves that we do have someone, it’s time for everyone to take notice because it’s only a matter of time. Let it be known that it’s not a Dallas thing, it’s not a Denton thing, it’s a dfw thing and if we celebrate it as such then this particular project can take us to the next level!

It’s my belief that Av has one of the most complete albums to come out of the southern region in a long time. He has great lyrical ability with a real identifiable substance which most rappers from the df-dub has had a hard time delivering! Av is also well respected and recognized in the community for outreach work at Fred Moore Park in Denton, Texas. We have to support our artist so more opportunities will be realized; Av The Great will be performing at Trees with Bone Thugs an Harmony on Nov. 25th. I’m a fan and a hard critic when it comes to rap and talent and I can predict that Av The Great will be the next platinum selling artist in hip hop!

Download your copy of “Man In The City-2 at: AV The Great.com
Photos by: Ed Steele Photography

Written By: Barry “The Fashion Guru” Wallace - Dallas Entertainment Journal

When people think Texas hip-hop, Houston usually comes to mind while Dallas gets labeled the city of Vanilla Ice. But Dallas’ hip-hop scene is thriving with talent, so here’s a quick roundup of 10 Dallas artists you really need to check out. - dallas.suntimes.com

Texas artist AV The Great is back with this new video for his single "Bunkin" featuring GasHouse Smitty and directed by HalfpintFilmz, check it out above. - HIP HOP RELEVANT

Virginia emcee AV rips Velly production on "Small Giant," where he tells stories of how emcees met their mentors and why various artists should sign him. From Jay Z to Nas to Timbaland, AV is on a quest to get signed by a great, and if "Small Giant" is any indication, he's on his way to achieving that. AV's bravado shines through when he speaks about not changing who he is and that even though he's from a college city, his "flow is universal." He'll be a big giant one day.

Listen to "Small Giant" below: - 2dopeboyz.com

Texas emcee AV The Great brings the heat on his new single entitled “Small Giant,” where he tells stories of how emcees met their mentors and why various legendary artists should sign him. The track was produced by the hot producer Velly who is part of Timbaland’s production team.

AV’s bravado shines through when he speaks about not changing who he is and how his flow is universal. His experimental rhyme scheme and lyricism offers a fresh element to emceeing. It’s his lyrical dexterity and his ability to balance sentiment with creativity that puts AV The Great miles ahead of his peers. - The Source Magazine

Chris Avant: Reclaiming language, healing a community through hip-hop

"Rapper and radio DJ Chris Avant grew up in southeast Denton – a neighborhood that’s been culturally and economically isolated from the rest of town. He makes music under the name AV the Great, inspired by his childhood home on Alexander Street...... "When we grow up there, in that square, it’s a county jail, it’s a courthouse, it’s a city jail, it’s a graveyard, and it’s an alternative school right there. That’s my area. That’s where we come from. When you grow up, that’s all you see," he says. "I was on the streets, I was selling drugs. I was just trying to get a job and I was getting turned down every day.”

Then he did get a job – as a DJ at K104. The same friends he ran with during hard times now hear him on the radio as Chris Cole. And he’s reached back out to his neighborhood and beyond by sponsoring rap and beat battles – lyrical contests he says help young people channel frustrated energy, provide an venue for networking, and encourage devotion to craft.

“Hip hop is our art form, it’s a competition – it’s like a full contact sport with words, who can use their mind the best. Instead of feeling like you have to get violent. That’s what hip hop allows you to do – that’s what these raw and underground battle events do.”

With roots in the underground and influence on a wider audience, Avant brings a positive message everywhere he goes -- to clubs like Dan's Silverleaf in Denton where bills almost always lean alt-country or indie rock, big rooms in Dallas, or meeting and greeting at K104 events.

“What’s a G? It’s not gangsta to me. G is grown man. You’re supposed to uplift your community and keep it safe." - KERA News - Lyndsay Knecht

Bunkin! - The Hype Magazine

Up next was Denton's one and only, AV the Great, whose fan base could have rivaled that of Waka's. For those in the metroplex who consider themselves hip-hop aficionados, AV is no stranger. As a political activist, TV show creator and current 104.5FM on-air DJ, AV has not only achieved notoriety, but continues to push the boundaries of the genre. His flawless delivery of perfectly intertwined lyrics and beats, combined with an undeniably provocative stage presence, makes AV the Great someone to keep your eye on in 2015. - Dallas Observer

The funky grooves were nice - but the crew comes out, and it's time to turn up. It's an entrance that only "the Great” can make and he deserves nothing less.

Only a man of his clout can bring a retinue of orchestral accompaniment and avoid any claims of excess. It takes greatness to bring together so many disparate influences - strings, sax, guitar solos, samples - and create something cohesive. And to bring the audience in, draw them in with so many sounds? He's czar of sound and he's got us seized by the ear.

Whether it’s appearance or authentic, the man shows his appreciation for his roots. There’s no doubt that he loves his hometown - and he won’t let up until he’s sure we love it too.

I’m overwhelmed by the cacophony of sounds coming from the stage, but I have no desire to go. It’s a captivating energy that only an MC can bring out in me, despite a crowd pulsing with heat. He knows he’s got us hooked on every lyric, every shift of key, and every new arrangement of DJ and backing band.

But these words are limiting - I'll just let the man flow. - Austere Magazine

What is the significance of your name?

AV The Great, the AV part comes from my last name Avant. People mispronounce it so the first two letters "A.V." you cant mess up. Then "The Great" part comes from being raised on Alexander St, One day my Uncle just said it like that, "You AV The Great, You can't say Great without saying AV".

What is your USP? (Unique Selling Proposition) and what sets you apart from other artists?

The way I see it, these days either you are trying too hard to act hard or trying too hard to be weird and stand out. I bring balance, it's no way you can put me in a box by listening to one song, I'm well rounded and that creates longevity. I don't care what the trend or the latest fashion is, I'm comfortable in my skin. I may not be the "IT" person of the moment, but I'll have moments of greatness for decades to come, I believe.

What single or project are you currently pushing?

Man-N-Da City2 is the name of the project dropping August 30th 2014. The 1st song released from this project is "ILLest Verse Of The Century" the official 1st single is "Need a Raise"

What is your opinion of the current state of the music industry?

Music industry as a whole is great, the creativity is flowing in every genre especially in Hip Hop, you can find what ever type of rap you like especially in the DFW metroplex. If your a person that say's it's not any good music out then you listen to the radio way too much. Radio song research is the wackest part about the music industry right now. Corporate people are so out of touch with the people it's crazy and now it's finally catching up to them. Record sales and radio is slowly going down but more avenue streams for making money with music are opening up.

If you can change one thing about the music industry what would it be and why?

I would change Radio Song Research & PPM, because it's not accurate and alot of great songs don't see daylight because of it and alot of songs get overplayed when its another song on the album that should be getting burn too, to keep the listeners ears fresh. In this day and age it actually hurts the artists. People are tuning out. Radio use to translate into Album sales and sometimes it still does but now and days, the underground artists with a buzz will sale more records than the artists on the radio. And label's need to know Twitter followers don't translate into album sales.

What is your favorite movie and favorite book?

Favorite movies are Troy and The Wood. Favorite books are The Bible and The Holy Quran.

What is your website?

avthegreat.com
twitter/IG: @AVTHEGREAT

Any final words for the people?

Learn from the past don't live in it. AV The Great "Man-N-Da City2" buy it, download it, if you don't like it, throw it away, but at least listen to the whole thing thru. Don't judge off one song, I got too many styles for tha,t just give me a chance. Trunk Pop Ent, Den10, DFW, Texas, Hip Hop 4 Ever! - CNN

Little bit of a late pass here, but Denton-based artist AV The Great (also known as radio personality Chris Cole on Dallas’ K104-FM) dropped his second full-length in the Man N Da City series last week. Take a ride with AV as he paints a vivid and relatable picture of the blue-collar every-day-man whose ambitions for bettering his own life far outweigh the circumstances he faces. Stream/DL below and be sure to keep up with all things AV The Great HERE. - http://youheardthatnew.com

Hip Hop juggernaut AV The Great AKA Man-N-Da City raises the bar with his new single “I Need A Raise.” The head nodding track is making an impact within the independent music scene and beyond. It is receiving accolades from DJ’s across the country. The rising MC is known for his community outreach work in his home town of Denton, TX. He tackles such issues as education, teen violence and voter registration. Moreover, AV also works at K104FM (#1 Hip & R&B station in Dallas, Texas) under the moniker Chris Cole. Av The Great is scheduled to release his highly anticipated album ”Man N Da City 2″ on August 30th, 2014. For more information, log on to www.avthegreat.com - The Source Magazine

Texas native AV The Great takes pride in his undeniable work ethic and drive for success. AV is in this rap game to win. As an artist he is endearing and charismatic. AV's music appeals to fans on an emotional level. The dynamic emcee is making a solid impact with his latest street album entitled “Man N Da City2.” The project showcases AV The Greats’s infectious flow over rhythmic beats. Its lyrical content speaks of his reality while transporting listeners into his world.

Versatile from start to finish the new CD makes you feel like partying, romancing and hitting the streets all at the same time. Throughout the entire project AV The Great's personality comes through on every record. Whether you like hard hitting beats or something smooth “Man N Da City2” has it all. It is a sleek offering loaded with relentless passion, head bopping musicality and incredible rhyme schemes. The album is packed with many jewels and food for thought as well.

“Man N Da City2” is a well structured offering. It contains 18 tracks. Av The Great comes out blazing right from the start of the CD with the song called "The Illest Verse Of The century," which thoroughly demonstrates his lyrical prowess. Moreover, the lead single from the album is a bold and relentless track called "Need A Raise." On this song Av The Great breaks down that if he does not get a raise at his 9 to 5, then he is going back to the block and hitting licks.

One of the highlights on “Man N Da City2” is a song entitled "Stay." This song is a deep, introspective record filled with soul piercing lyrics. The track is a lyrical diary of sorts. He takes the listener on a journey into his world. "Stay" deals with the universal topics of loyalty and friendship. Overall, “Man N Da City2” is a completely balanced project that can appeal to all coasts, mainstream or underground. I expect to see “Man N Da City2” on many top 10 lists at the end of the year. - Yo Raps

AV The Great provides the listener with an undeniably strong project from top to bottom. - A&R Power Summit

(Page 27)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Definitely identifies with East Coast Hip Hop. Knows how to balance the old school influence with today's poplar sound. His music will reach a broad audience. He shows a good Variety in his music with "Keep It Trill".

Standout Track:
GOD Body - Coast2Coast Mixtapes

When K104 hired Cole in 2012, fresh out of broadcasting school, it made a smart and (for a hip-hop-oriented station) seemingly obvious move: putting a super talented MC behind the mic. Better known as AV the Great, Cole makes his time on the air feel like you’re listening to a freshly dropped mixtape. - D Magazine

On a cloudy Friday afternoon, Chris Avant approaches Fred Moore Park in Southeast Denton and takes a second to reflect. He points to the direction of the neighborhood down the street where he grew up in: Alexander Street.

“This is my come up right here,” Avant said. “I would come outside and the older cats would be free styling. They would play their music loud and you grow up doing that. It just takes over you. You just want to do music.”

Avant has the build of an athlete and appears to be laid-back. But when it comes to discussing his music, Avant’s face becomes extremely serious.

Avant, also known as “A.V. The Great,” has been in the hip-hop business for more than 10 years and is one of the driving forces in the Denton hip-hop scene. With humble beginnings recording music in a bathroom in the ninth grade to currently working as a radio personality for K104.5 under the moniker “Chris Cole,” the 27-year-old has come a long way.

As Avant’s life has progressed, his music has concurrently moved forward. Not only has he gained local recognition, but his music has also spread nationally. Recently, his album “Live From The Struggle,” is available on digital outlets such as iTunes, Pandora and Spotify.

Avant is grateful for the achievements, but he also makes it clear that these recent accomplishments make him feel like he has more work to do.

“From a business standpoint, philanthropy standpoint and from a music standpoint, I want to do it all,” Avant said. “It’s cool [getting recognized] but it’s the times when I don’t get recognized by people or when they play me that [motivates] me like ‘Yeah, one day you’re going to respect it.’”

Hip-Hop in Denton

Denton is typically known as a jazz and indie rock town, but also houses a vibrant and talented hip-hop scene, Avant said.

“The hip-hop scene here is serious,” Avant said.

Denton’s hip-hop scene dates back to at least the 1980s, but Avant said it wasn’t until between 2007 and 2008 that the hip-hop scene started to hit the ground running.

Rappers such as Jacob Ward, 27, also known as “J-Whoa,” have also played a role in getting the Denton hip-hop scene noticed.

Ward believes the hip-hop scene in Denton is strong, but could be even stronger. He and other Denton rappers have put in a great deal of time and commitment to music, something he said is important.

“Smitty, Buk Baby, Wreck-A-Mic, A.V., T.C., Pap, Fab Deuce, Renzo, Kick Door, these are people that have grinded for this,” Ward said. “There’s a lot of other artists out here that are doing their thing too.”

Not only should the music sound good, it has to look good as well, such as making high-quality music videos, Ward said.

“Denton has a lot of talent and should be looked at in a good way,” Ward said. “When I do my [music] videos, I want people to think ‘Wow, people from Denton know what they’re doing.’”

Avant believes Denton should also be considered apart of the whole Dallas-Fort Worth scene and every city in it should stop being isolated from each other.

“The thing that bothers me is you look at places like New York and when you think New York [music], you’re thinking Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem, Bronx,” Avant said. “When you say ‘DFW,’ people act like we’re all not apart of it. Denton County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Collin County—that’s the DFW. We got to do a better job of appreciating ourselves as one.”

Avant is helping to get the scene noticed by setting up shows and festivals. He is part of the Thin Line Festival team and has assisted with booking rappers to perform at the festival.

Ward believes hip-hop in Denton has a big future and can reach notoriety like other cities with a big hip-hop scene.

“I don’t think, I know it can [be on that level],” Ward said.

Beginning of A.V.

Avant was born and raised in Southeast Denton. Growing up without a father, his uncle—who lived in Atlanta and worked as a radio disc jockey—played a vital part in his life. Avant said he would visit his uncle during the summer. There his uncle introduced him to music, but more importantly he provided a father figure.

“He was pretty much raising me over the phone,” Avant said. “I was going to do music anyway, but seeing him working in the music industry motivated me.”

Avant started his venture in music as a DJ and played his first gig at his cousin’s birthday party when he was in fifth grade. He recalled playing artists such as Master P, E-40 and 2 Live Crew.

“I knew what to play, I knew I could do it and get everybody dancing,” Avant said. “I was a kid, but I enjoyed it.”

Avant would soon find himself writing down rhymes during class. Being a big LL Cool J fan, the first song Avant wrote was a remake of “Rock The Bells” when he was in eighth grade.

“That’s what got me like ‘I think I want to do this for the rest of my life,’” he said. “I wanted to put myself in position to turn these poetic moments into a groove.”

Then came the moniker “A.V. The Great.” The name is a mix of the first two letters in his last name and “The Great,” stemming from Alexander St.reet, where he made the connection with “Alexander The Great.”

Avant usually has a room in his house that’s dedicated to recording music. He prefers to do it alone quietly so he can concentrate and “get in the zone.”

Live From The Struggle

It wasn’t until his 2012 album “Live From The Struggle” that Avant started gaining people’s attention, he said. The album was influenced by the recession that hit America and the struggles involved in overcoming those difficulties.

“That’s what my whole mindset was [with the album]. Living in the struggle,” Avant said.

Since the album dropped, Avant said he has gained a “nice following.” He said his music has more downloads in California than Texas, and has even been downloaded in countries like Brazil.

Avant’s music has also been featured on local stations such as Denton Radio. Jake Laughlin, CEO of Denton Radio, even wrote about his performance that took place during the Thin Line Festival.

“AV (being the consummate Performer) made everyone feel as though he was performing for and speaking to them,” Jake Laughlin wrote in a Discover Denton article.

The album is an example of what hip-hop from Denton can bring, which Avant said is “too slept on.”

Getting the Radio Job and Future

After graduating from the American Broadcasting School in 2012, Avant landed the job at K104.5 in September of that year. He started his first day of training on his birthday and when he walked into the station, he realized just how significant an opportunity he was going have.

“I show up and I see Wale there,” Avant said as he cracked a smile. “I was like ‘I’m here baby.’”

He works the overnight shifts from Tuesday through Thursday from 12 a.m. through 5 a.m.. He also works the weekend from 3 p.m. through 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Avant admits it can be a challenge working the overnight shifts and driving from Denton to Dallas, especially concerning gas money.

“It sucks, but it’s worth it,” he said. “What the station has allowed me to do is be around music as my job. I’m doing what I love to do and I’m grateful for that.”

His music has given him success, but Avant wants to reach a higher status. He has a new album coming out this year, and though he hasn’t set a date yet, he is excited for the album and what it could bring.

“This will be one of the best albums you’ve ever heard coming out of this area and in the hip-hop game today,” Avant said. “I want to be respected as an artist. I think I have people’s attention. Now it’s time for me to deliver.”

His music can be found at www.avthegreat.com - NT Daily - Javier Navarro