Coolio

In 1994, Coolio signed to Tommy Boy Records and released his debut solo album It Takes a Thief. The lead single "Fantastic Voyage" received heavy rotation on MTV, and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Fantastic Voyage" would become one of the biggest rap singles of the year, and the album contained a few other minor hits in "County Line" and "I Remember". It Takes a Thief peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200,[5] becoming certified Platinum.[6] The album received praise for bringing a humorous and lighthearted perspective to often violent and profane themes of typical gangsta rap.[2]

In 1995, Coolio made a song featuring R&B singer L.V. for the movie Dangerous Minds, titled "Gangsta's Paradise". It would become one of the most successful rap songs of all time, topping on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 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 chart. "Gangsta's Paradise" was the second-best selling single of 1995 in the UK. 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". At the 1996 Grammy Awards, the song won Coolio a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

Originally "Gangsta's Paradise" was not meant to be included on one of Coolio's studio albums, but its success led to Coolio not only putting it on his next album but also making it the title track. The title track sampled the chorus and music of the song "Pastime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder, which was recorded nearly twenty years earlier on Stevie Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life. The album Gangsta's Paradise was released in 1995 and was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA and sold more than 2 million copies globally. The album contained two other major hits in "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "Too Hot" with J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang doing the chorus. Despite no longer being an official member of the group, Coolio made an appearance on the second WC and the Maad Circle album Curb Servin', on the song "In a Twist". In 1996, Coolio had another top 40 hit with the song "It's All the Way Live (Now)" from the soundtrack to the movie Eddie. He was also featured on the song "Hit 'em High" from the soundtrack to the successful 1996 film Space Jam with B-Real, Method Man, LL Cool J, and Busta Rhymes.

In 2014, the band Falling in Reverse did a cover of "Gangsta's Paradise" for "Punk Goes 90's", with Coolio making a cameo in the music video.

In 2019, the song received renewed popularity on the Internet when it was featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie trailer.

In 1996, Coolio appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD America is Dying Slowly, alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe, among many other prominent hip-hop artists. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source magazine. That same year, he recorded the theme song "Aw, Here It Goes!" for the Nickelodeon TV series Kenan & Kel, which ran for four seasons, and appeared in the series' opening sequence.

After the success of Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio's next album was expected to be another hit. His third solo album titled My Soul, came out in 1997. Although it contained 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 dropped from Tommy Boy Records and his albums. Since then, 2001's Coolio.com, 2003's El Cool Magnifico, 2006's The Return of the Gangsta, and 2008's Steal Hear, 2009's From the Bottom 2 the Top, and 2017's Long Live the Thief have not charted on any Billboard chart. He did have a minor hit in the UK in 2006 with "Gangsta Walk" (featuring Snoop Dogg), which peaked at No. 67 on the UK pop chart. Both of his last albums were produced by Joshua Fenu and Vanni Giorgilli from Subside Records.

While touring with hip hop duo Insane 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.[7] Coolio has performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos.[7]

Coolio was featured on an international collaboration track called 'Fuck the DJ' by UK rapper Blacklisted MC also featuring Bizarre of D12, Adil Omar (from Pakistan) and Uzimon (from Bermuda) the song was premiered on music website Noisey from Vice in October 2014.[8]

In 2004, Coolio appeared as a contestant on Comeback - Die große Chance [9](translated in English as Comeback: The Big Chance), a German talent show on which artists were looking for a comeback. Coolio placed third, after Chris Norman and Benjamin Boyce.

In 2009, Coolio appeared as a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother. He later went to appear on Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, where he decided it was best to leave the house after numerous confrontations with Nadia Almada and others in the house. In January 2012, he was one of eight celebrities participating in the Food Network reality series Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, where he represented the Music Saves Lives Organization.[10] He came in second place with a Zagat score of 23 out of 30, losing to Lou Diamond Phillips. As runner-up, he was awarded $10,000 for his charity. He also guest starred as himself on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch when he helped Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart), Zelda Spellman (Beth Broderick), and Hilda Spellman (Caroline Rhea) to help them look for their cat Salem Saberhagen (Nick Bakay) who was kidnapped by a little boy.

Coolio was featured on the March 5, 2013, episode of the ABC reality program Wife Swap,[11] but his then girlfriend left him after the program was taped.[12] On June 30, 2013, he appeared alongside comedian Jenny Eclair and Emmerdale actor Matthew Wolfenden on the UK game show Tipping Point: Lucky Stars, where he came second. Also on June 30, Coolio voiced a wax figure of himself on Gravity Falls. He also appeared on the "Homie-Work" episode of "The Nanny" with Fran Drescher in 1998. He portrayed a nerdy man, a "gift wrapper", transformed by the Jewish nanny into a "Rapper" for Maxwell Sheffield's new Rap musical.

In July 2016, Coolio performed on ABC's Greatest Hits.[13]

Coolio appeared on an episode of the Adult Swim show Black Jesus in an episode titled "Gangsters Paradise".

• It Takes a Thief (1994)
• Gangsta's Paradise (1995)
• My Soul (1997)
• Coolio.com (2001)
• El Cool Magnifico (2002)
• The Return of the Gangsta (2006)
• Steal Hear (2008)
• From the Bottom 2 the Top (2009)
• Hotel C. (2015)
• Nobody's Foolio (2019)

• Ain't a Damn Thang Changed with WC and the Maad Circle (1991)

• Long Live the Thief (2017)

The American Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Dick Clark in 1973. Coolio has received one award from two nominations.[22][23][24]

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Coolio has received one award from six nominations.[22][25][26][27]

• "Stomp" with Luke Cresswell, Fiona Wilkes, Carl Smith, Fraser Morrison, Everett Bradley, Mr. X, Melle Mel, Coolio, Yo-Yo, Chaka Khan, Charlie Wilson, Shaquille O'Neal, Luniz

The MTV Video Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony established in 1984 by MTV. Coolio has received three awards from six nominations.[22][28][29]