Coolio | |
|---|---|
 Coolio in 2002 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (1963-08-01)August 1, 1963 Monessen, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | September 28, 2022(2022-09-28) (aged 59) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1987–2022[1] |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | WC and the Maad Circle |
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022),[2] known by his stage nameCoolio, was an American rapper. He was best known for his single "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995), which won aGrammy Award, and was credited for changing the course of hip-hop by bringing it to a wider audience.[3] Other singles included "Fantastic Voyage" (1994), "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996), and "C U When U Get There" (1997). He released nine albums, the first three of which achieved mainstream success:It Takes a Thief (1994),Gangsta's Paradise (1995), andMy Soul (1997). Coolio first achieved recognition as a member of thegangsta rap groupWC and the Maad Circle. Coolio sold 4.8 million albums in the U.S.[4]
He also created the six-episode reality television showCoolio's Rules (2008), the web seriesCookin' with Coolio, and published a cookbook.
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. was born on August 1, 1963, inMonessen, Pennsylvania.[5][6][7] His mother was a factory worker who divorced his father, who was a carpenter, and they moved toCompton, California when Ivey was eight years old.[8] Ivey was severelyasthmatic and, as a child, he was taken to the hospital several times due to asthma complications. He was a regular visitor to his local library as a boy. He often played board games with his mother.[4] He started rapping as a teenager, earning the nickname Coolio Iglesias due to his slick performances, a takeoff of Spanish singerJulio Iglesias; the nickname was later shortened to Coolio.[9] He was arrested for taking a weapon to school and served prison time forlarceny.[3] As Compton went into decline in the 1980s, he became addicted tocrack cocaine, but quit drugs after spending time living with his father inSan Jose, crediting Christianity for helping him get over his addiction.[4] There, he worked for theCalifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.[4][8] Coolio attendedCompton Community College then worked in avolunteer fire department and security atLos Angeles International Airport, before becoming a rapper.[10][11]
Coolio recorded his first single in 1987, titled "Whatcha Gonna Do?".[1] In 1988, he recorded "What Makes You Dance (Force Groove)" with Nu-Skool. Coolio made connections in the L.A. rap scene, and in 1991, joined the groupWC and the Maad Circle, led by rapperWC. He is a credited co-contributor on the group's debut albumAin't a Damn Thang Changed, including on the single "Dress Code".[12]
In 1994, Coolio signed a recording contract withTommy Boy Records and released his debut solo albumIt Takes a Thief. The lead single "Fantastic Voyage" received heavy rotation onMTV and peaked at No. 3 on theBillboard Hot 100, becoming one of the biggest rap singles of the year. Other minor hits from the album include "County Line" and "I Remember".It Takes a Thief peaked at No. 8 on theBillboard 200,[13] becoming certified Platinum.[14] The album received praise for bringing a humorous and lighthearted perspective to the often violent and profane themes of typicalgangsta rap.[10]
In 1995, for the filmDangerous Minds, Coolio released "Gangsta's Paradise", featuringR&B singerL.V.. It became one of the most successful rap songs of all time, topping theBillboard Hot 100 for three weeks. It was the No. 1 single of 1995 in the United States for all genres and was a global hit topping the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand charts. "Gangsta's Paradise" was the second-best-selling single of 1995 in the U.K. The song also created a controversy when Coolio claimed that comedy musician"Weird Al" Yankovic had not asked for permission to make his parody of "Gangsta's Paradise", titled "Amish Paradise".[15] At the1996 Grammy Awards, the song won Coolio aGrammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.[16]
Originally "Gangsta's Paradise" was not meant to be included in one of Coolio's studio albums, but due to its success, Coolio included it on the album, making it the title track. Itinterpolates the chorus and music of the song "Pastime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder, which was recorded nearly 20 years earlier on Wonder's albumSongs in the Key of Life. The albumGangsta's Paradise was released in 1995 and was certified two-times Platinum by the RIAA, selling more than two million copies in the US alone.[17]
The album contains two other major hits in "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "Too Hot" with J. T. Taylor ofKool & the Gang doing the chorus.[18] Despite no longer being an official member of the group, Coolio appears on the second WC and the Maad Circle albumCurb Servin' on the song "In a Twist".[19] In 1996, Coolio had another top 40 hit with the song "It's All the Way Live (Now)" from thesoundtrack to the movieEddie. He is also featured on the song "Hit 'em High" from the soundtrack to the 1996 filmSpace Jam withB-Real,Method Man,LL Cool J, andBusta Rhymes.[20]
In 2014, the bandFalling in Reverse did a cover of "Gangsta's Paradise" forPunk Goes 90s Vol. 2, with Coolio making a cameo in the music video.[21]
In 1996, Coolio appeared on theRed Hot Organization's compilation CDAmerica Is Dying Slowly, alongsideBiz Markie,Wu-Tang Clan, andFat Joe, among many other prominent hip-hop artists. The CD meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African-American men.[22] That same year, he recorded the music video "Aw, Here It Goes!" for the opening sequence of theNickelodeon television seriesKenan & Kel, which ran for four seasons.[23]
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Coolio's third solo album,My Soul, came out in 1997. Although it contains the major hit "C U When U Get There" and the album went platinum, it failed to reach the success of his previous two albums. Coolio was subsequently dropped from theTommy Boy Records label. Since then, 2001'sCoolio.com, 2003'sEl Cool Magnifico, 2006'sThe Return of the Gangsta, and 2008'sSteal Hear, 2009'sFrom the Bottom 2 the Top, and 2017'sLong Live the Thief have not charted on anyBillboard chart. He did have a minor hit in the UK in 2006 with "Gangsta Walk" (featuringSnoop Dogg).[24]
While touring with hip-hop duoInsane Clown Posse, Coolio received a tattoo as a homage to the group's fanbase, reading "Jugalo Cool" [sic]. He stated that the misspelling was intentional. Coolio performed at theGathering of the Juggalos.[25]
Coolio is featured on an international collaboration track called "Fuck the DJ" by UK rapper Blacklisted MC, also featuringBizarre ofD12,Adil Omar (from Pakistan), andUzimon (from Bermuda). The song premiered on music website Noisey fromVice in October 2014.[26]
In 1996, Coolio made aguest appearance as himself onSabrina, the Teenage Witch.[27]
Coolio appeared in a 1998 episode ofThe Nanny, "Homie-Work", in which he portrays the nerdy Erwin, a "gift wrapper", and is transformed by the nanny into a "Rapper" forMaxwell Sheffield's new rap musical.[28]
Coolio appeared in the 15th episode of the fourth season ofCharmed, which aired March 14, 2002. He plays the role of a Lazarus Demon.
In 2002, Coolio appeared as himself in an episode ofBlind Date[29]
In 2004, Coolio appeared as a contestant onComeback – Die große Chance ("Comeback: The Big Chance"), a German talent show featuring artists looking for a comeback.[30][31]
In the television seriesFuturama, Coolio voiced Kwanzaa-bot, a rapping robot who spreads awareness aboutKwanzaa. His first appearance was in the 2001 episode "Tale of Two Santas", his second was in the 2007 TV MovieBender's Big Score, performing the song "This Trinity's Going to War", and his third and final appearance was in the 2023 episode "I Know What You Did Next Xmas". The latter episode was dedicated to him, as he had recorded his lines for the episode just weeks prior to his death.[32]
In 2009, Coolio appeared as a housemate onCelebrity Big Brother 6, which he placed 3rd. He later went to appear on the UK'sUltimate Big Brother in 2010, where he decided it was best to leave the house after numerous confrontations withNadia Almada and others there.
In January 2012, he was one of eight celebrities participating in theFood Network reality television seriesRachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, where he represented theMusic Saves Lives Organization.[33] In June of the same year, Coolio voiced a wax figure of himself onGravity Falls. par Coolio was featured on the March 5, 2013, episode of theABC reality programWife Swap, but his then-girlfriend left him after the program was taped.[34] On June 30, 2013, he appeared alongside comedianJenny Eclair andEmmerdale actorMatthew Wolfenden on the UK game showTipping Point: Lucky Stars, where he came in second.
Coolio guest starred on a 2014 episode of theAdult Swim showBlack Jesus titled "Gangsta's Paradise".[35]
In July 2016, Coolio performed on ABC'sGreatest Hits.[36]
In 2019, Coolio appeared on the Irish rap group Versatile's track "Escape Wagon". He later featured on their 2021 album,Fuck Versatile, on the track "Coolio Interlude".[37][38]
Ivey had ten children,[39] one of whom was born to his wife, Josefa Salinas, whom he married in 1996 and divorced in 2000.[40] In March 2022, he told Australia'sToday Extra that he had five grandchildren.[39]
In July 2008, Ivey and jazz saxophonist Jarez were enlisted as spokespersons by the group Environmental Justice and Climate Change to educate students athistorically black colleges and universities aboutclimate change.[41] Ivey was a spokesperson for theAsthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as his children areasthmatic.[42][43]
He hosted the online cooking showCookin' with Coolio, an offshoot of his reality show,Coolio's Rules that ran for six episodes in 2008.[44]
Ivey was the running mate forpornographic film actress Cherie DeVille'sDemocratic presidential run in the2020 United States presidential election; they ended their campaign in January 2019.[45][46]
In 1998, a court inBöblingen, nearStuttgart, sentenced Ivey to six months probation and fined him $17,000 after convicting him of being an accessory to robbery and causing bodily injury after Ivey and his band members allegedly attemptedshoplifting clothing worth $940 and then punched the store owner when he was caught. Ivey alleged that he was promised the clothing for free in exchange for signing autographs.[47][48]
In 2016, Ivey and members of his crew were arrested for having a loaded firearm inside a bag atLos Angeles International Airport. The bag was flagged by theTransportation Security Administration as the group attempted to pass through a security checkpoint. One of his bodyguards claimed ownership of the bag, but Ivey later admitted that he was the owner and was subsequently sentenced to three years of probation and 45 days ofcommunity service.[49][50][51]
In 2017, Ivey missed a performance after he was denied entry into Singapore upon landing atChangi International Airport. Singapore'sImmigration and Checkpoints Authority declined to comment on the reason for the denial, citing reasons of confidentiality. Coolio had been traveling from Beijing to Singapore to perform at a Formula One concert event.[52]
On September 28, 2022, Ivey was discovered unresponsive on the bathroom floor at a friend's house in Los Angeles, and was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. He was 59 years old.[6][4] TheLos Angeles County Coroner's office announced that Ivey died from an overdose offentanyl, heroin, andmethamphetamine, withcardiomyopathy, chronic asthma, and cigarette smoking that had played a role in his death.[53][54][55] He was cremated in a private ceremony, with a portion of his ashes encased in jewelry for his family and the rest put into anurn.[56]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Phat Beach | Himself | [62] |
| The Big Help | Himself | [63] | |
| Dear God | Gerard | [64] | |
| 1997 | Batman & Robin | Jonathan Crane[65] | Credited as "Banker" |
| On the Line | Lt. Gil Suggs | Television film[66] | |
| An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn | Dion Brothers | [67] | |
| 1999 | Judgment Day | Luther / 'Lucifer' | Video[68] |
| Tyrone | Tyrone / Jerome / Cherone | [69] | |
| Midnight Mass | Blue Lou | [70] | |
| 2000 | The Convent | Officer Starkey | [66] |
| Leprechaun in the Hood | Himself | Video[71] | |
| Submerged | Jeff Cort | [66] | |
| Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th | Principal (AFKAP) | Video[72] | |
| China Strike Force | Himself | [73] | |
| Dope Case Pending | [74] | ||
| 2001 | Perfume | T | |
| In Pursuit | Carl Wright | Video[75] | |
| Get Over It | Himself | [75] | |
| Gangland | Officer Harris | ||
| 2002 | Storm Watch | Outlaw | |
| Media Whore | Himself | ||
| Outlawz: Worldwide | Himself | ||
| 2003 | The Beat | Emcee | [76] |
| Daredevil | Dante Jackson | Director's cut version[77] | |
| Ravedactyl: Project Evolution | Maduzor | Short | |
| Stealing Candy | Brad Vorman | [66] | |
| Red Water | Ice | Television film[75] | |
| Exposed | Big Heat | [78] | |
| Tapped Out | Cool | [79] | |
| Sex & the Studio 2 | Video | ||
| Four Fingers of the Trill | Himself | ||
| Stupidity | Himself | ||
| Move | Arthur / Ernest / Dre | Short | |
| 2004 | A Wonderful Night in Split | Franky | [80] |
| Dracula 3000 | 187 | [81] | |
| Gang Warz | Dunzio Day | [82] | |
| 2005 | Pterodactyl | Capt. Bergen | [75] |
| 2006 | Grad Night | Michael Adkins | [83] |
| Love Hollywood Style | Himself | [84] | |
| 2007 | Futurama: Bender's Big Score | Kwanzaa-bot | Voice, direct-to-video[85] |
| Sound, Verses Fury | Himself | ||
| Three Days to Vegas | The Flow | [75] | |
| Don't Tell My Booker!!! | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves | Roger | [86] |
| Sides | The Star | ||
| 2009 | The Lost Archives of Quincy Taylor | Archpimp Mac McFreddy | Short |
| 2012 | Two Hundred Thousand Dirty | Manny | [87] |
| Inertia | Promotional Trailer | ||
| 2015 | Lord of the Freaks | Himself | |
| 2017 | Nina | Himself | |
| 2018 | Vantasic Voyage | Himself | |
| United Skates | Himself | [88] | |
| The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story | Himself | [89] | |
| 2021 | Fintech Rap Battle: Monzo VS Starling | Himself | [90] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood | The Gangster | Episode: "Trust a Move"[91] |
| Martin | Himself | Episode: "All the Players Came"[92] | |
| 1995–1996 | All That | Himself | 2 episodes[93] |
| 1996 | Space: Above and Beyond | The Bacchus Host | Episode: "R & R"[94] |
| Dangerous Minds | Sex Educator | Episode: "Pilot"[92] | |
| Sabrina The Teenage Witch | Himself | Episode: "A Girl and Her Cat"[27][92] | |
| 1996–2000 | Kenan & Kel | Performer: Theme Song | TV series[23] |
| 1997 | Duckman | Himself | Voice, episode: "Coolio Runnings" |
| 1998 | Match Game | Himself | 5 episodes |
| The Nanny | Irwin | 2 episodes[92] | |
| V.I.P. | Himself | Episode: "Vallery of the Dolls" | |
| 1999 | Early Edition | Julius 'C-Roc' Ruby | Episode: "Number One with a Bullet"[92] |
| Malcolm & Eddie | Troy Jensen | Episode: "Daddio"[92] | |
| 2000 | Arli$$ | Ernest | Episode: "It's Who You Know"[92] |
| 2001 | Der Clown | Himself | Episode: "Stirb langsam" |
| Fear Factor | Himself/Contestant | Episode: "First Celebrity Fear Factor"[95] | |
| 2001–2023 | Futurama | Kwanzaa-bot | Voice, 4 episodes[96] |
| 2002 | Charmed | Lazarus Demon | Episode: "Marry-Go-Round"[97] |
| Static Shock | Marvin Roper / Replikon | Voice, episode: "Duped"[98] | |
| Blind Date | Himself | TV series | |
| Holla | Himself | TV series | |
| Robbery Homicide Division | Greg / G-Down | Episode: "Alton Davis Redux" | |
| 2003 | Make My Day | Episode: "Linda Narty"[99] | |
| 2005 | Joey | Himself | Episode: "Joey and the Poker" |
| 2006 | Клуб | Himself | Season 1, episode 14 |
| 2008 | Cookin' with Coolio | Himself | TV series[44] |
| Coolio's Rules | Himself | Main cast[40] | |
| 2009 | Star-ving | Himself | Recurring cast[5] |
| The Sunday Night Project | Himself | Episode: "Lily Allen" | |
| 2012 | Gravity Falls | Wax Coolio | Voice, episode: "Headhunters"[99] |
| 2014 | American Hustle Life | Himself | Reality Show[100] |
| Black Jesus | Himself | Episode: "Gangsta's Paradise"[35] | |
| 2017 | Teachers | Mr. Wence | Episode: "First Day Back"[99] |
| 2021 | Let's Be Real | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.4"[101] |
Coolio's 1995 song "Gangsta's Paradise", a remake of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" received several awards, includingBest Rap Solo Performance at theGrammy Awards[16] andBest Rap Video andBest Video from a Film at theMTV Video Music Awards. Coolio himself received several awards, including Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist at theAmerican Music Awards in 1996. At the Grammy Awards in 1997, Coolio received three nominations:Best Rap Album forGangsta's Paradise, Best Rap Solo Performance for "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)", andBest R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for "Stomp". Overall, Coolio received five awards from fourteen nominations.
TheAmerican Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created byDick Clark in 1973. Coolio received one award from two nominations.[102][103][104]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Coolio | Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist | Won |
| 1997 | Coolio | Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist | Nominated |
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Single of the Year | Won |
TheGrammy Awards are awarded annually by theNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Coolio received one award from six nominations.[102][106][107][108]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Fantastic Voyage" | Best Rap Solo Performance | Nominated |
| 1996 | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Record of the Year | Nominated |
| Best Rap Solo Performance | Won | ||
| 1997 | Gangsta's Paradise | Best Rap Album | Nominated |
| "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" | Best Rap Solo Performance | Nominated | |
| "Stomp" | Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group | Nominated |
TheMTV Video Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 byMTV. Coolio received three awards from six nominations.[102][109]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Fantastic Voyage" | Best Rap Video | Nominated |
| 1996 | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Best Rap Video | Won |
| Best Video from a Film | Won | ||
| Viewer's Choice | Nominated | ||
| "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" | Best Dance Video | Won | |
| Best Male Video | Nominated |
