Coolio, “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper, is dead at 59 – Rolling Stone

Cooliowhich the nineties The music was a staple on radio, a favorite on MTV, and featured the song “Gangsta’s Paradise” who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 59. Coolio’s manager, Jarez Posey, confirmed the rapper’s death to rolling rock. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Artis Leon Ivey Jr. was born. In 1963, he went to school in Compton, California and enrolled at Compton Community College. He cut his first single in the late ’80s, “Watcha Gonna Do,” a song that was played locally on a hip-hop station. He later contacted WC and Maad Circle and contributed to their 1991 debut album, Not damn thang changed.

By 1994, he had established himself in the rap scene in Los Angeles and signed to Tommy Boy Records, releasing his debut studio album, take a thief. The solo album “Fantastic Voyage”, accompanied by a horrifying video, hit number three on painting hot 100.

A year later, he was linked to gospel singer LV on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the unexpectedly painful track that sampled Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise” and appeared in the movie. dangerous minds.

“I wasn’t familiar with ‘Pastime Paradise’ as much as I was a fan of Stevie Wonder,” Coolio Tell rolling rock in 2015 in the oral history of the song. “The first album I ever bought was the one with Superwoman on it. [1972’s Music of My Mind.] I got this on my twelfth birthday, this and fight the force by Isley Brothers. Songs in the key of life, my mother had this album at home, so it was weird that I didn’t know the song… I went back to my principal’s house to use the toilet before I rolled, and that’s when I heard the track. I walked into the studio, and asked Doug, “Wow, who’s that track?” Doug said, “Oh, it’s something I’m working on.” I said, “Well, it’s mine!”

He added, “I sat down and started writing. Hearing the bass, chorus line, and hook, my mind just opened. “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death / I look into my life and see that there is nothing left” – I did it freely; that came from the top of the dome and wrote it. I thought about it for a minute, then wrote the rest of the song, complete without stopping, from the first to the third house. You know, I like to believe it was divine intervention. “Gangsta’s Paradise” wanted to be born; He wanted to come alive, and he chose me as a ship.”

Tommy Boye reportedly did not believe the song would be appropriate for his next album and instead added it to the film’s soundtrack.

It reached number one and became the biggest single in 1995. Its success secured its inclusion on his next album titled After Track, and it won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. (And although he never released Rollin’ With My Homies as a single, the song did contain Distinguished placement In the 1995 movie ignorant. His sophomore group produced his singles “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” which reached the top ten in 1996, and “Too Hot”.

While his music has covered many of the brands that have made gangsta rap so dominant in previous years, his cute and fun style in both his music and videos has made him likable to a larger audience. He began pursuing acting and made his screen debut in a comedy in 1996 Fat Beach He had a role in 1997 batman and robin.

cool chest my soul in 1997, in which the single “CU When U Get There” appeared. While he faced some legal issues that held up the success of this album, he continued to work in the acting world, starring in the film as triplets Tyronee And it was regular Hollywood Squares. His last album was in 2009 From the bottom 2 the top.

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