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#
2pac (Makaveli)
50 Cent

A
Apathy
Atmosphere

B
Benefit
Big L
Big Pun
Black Eyed Peas
Bun B (UGK)

C
Cam'ron
Canibus
Cassidy
Common
Coolio
Crooked I
Cunninlynguists

D
dead prez
De La Soul
DMX

E
Eminem

F
Fabolous
Fat Joe
Flowers & Kain
Foxy Brown
Fugees, The

G
Game, The
Gangstarr
Ghostface Killah
GZA

J
Jadakiss
Jay-Z
Joe Budden
Joell Ortiz

K
Killah Priest
Kurupt

L
Lauryn Hill
Lil' Wayne
LL Cool J
Ludacris
Lupe Fiasco

M
Masta Ace
Mos Def

N
Nas
Notorious B.I.G.

O
OutKast
Outlawz, Tha

P
Papoose

R
Ras Kass
Rakim
Roots, The

S
Saigon
Scarface
Skillz (Mad Skillz)
Snoop Dogg

T
Talib Kweli
T.I.
Tonedeff

W
Wordsworth (Punch & Words)
Wu-Tang Clan, The

X
Xzibit

Y
Young Jeezy

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Accurate Coolio Lyrics

Accurate Coolio lyrics for research, informative, and entertainment purposes.

Coolio

Coolio (born Artis Ivey, Jr.) is an American rapper best known for the song "Gangsta's Paradise" from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack.

Born in Pennsylvania, Coolio grew up in Compton, California. Despite a troubled childhood, he learned how to read from the Pelton Power Program for Kids, founded by Texas jazz musician Aaron Pelton. He began performing after graduating high school. After releasing one single, "Watcha Gonna Do", an addiction to crack cocaine derailed his career. After quitting and becoming a firefighter for a brief period, Coolio returned to performing and recorded his debut album. It Takes a Thief was released in 1994. The second single was "Fantastic Voyage", which became a massive nation-wide hit.

"Gangsta's Paradise", a rap written to the tune of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" from Songs in the Key of Life, was placed on the soundtrack to Dangerous Minds because executives at Tommy Boy Records felt it would not sell. It ended up being a #1 pop hit in the US, and became one of the first rap singles to sell big in the UK.

"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song with "Amish Paradise" soon after, leading to discord between Coolio and Tommy Boy; Coolio claimed that he was unaware that Weird Al's record label had gotten permission for Al to do a parody of the song, and made no secrets about his discontent. A 1996 album called Gangsta's Paradise became another hit while Coolio continued touring and started acting. His third album, My Soul would find Coolio turning to a more spiritual side and turned out unsuccessful. Legal problems (including thievery) in Germany, and later California put Coolio's career on hold. He appeared in a few films and set up his own record label, Crowbar Records, but his next album was delayed until 2002. El Cool Magnifico included a collaboration with Kenny Rogers on an update of his old hit "The Gambler" but still did not achieve anywhere near the acclaim of Gangsta's Paradise.

In January-February 2004, Coolio tried to win a record deal on the "Comeback Show" contest on German television, but eventually was beaten by the group "Smokie".

Despite his past commercial failures Coolio did play a small role in bringing West Coast Hip Hop to the mainstream during its hay day in the mid-nineties. Furthermore,k Coolio lyrics on song's such as "Ghetto Highlites" show that he was more than a simple pop rap artist.

Below are accurate Coolio lyrics to some of his most requested songs. If you have any requests for accurate lyrics to a Coolio song please feel free to email
Lyrics @ Thestateofhiphop.com.

"Welcome to Southern California/ Liquor stores and churches on every other corner/ Your little brother plays Pop Warner/ Narcs raided the dope spot/ Eight year-old kid got shot/ Cuz they mistook his BB gun for a gloc"
-Coolio

Coolio - It Takes A Thief (1994)

Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise(1996)
Gangsta's Paradise
The Revolution
Smilin'

Coolio - My Soul (1998)

Coolio - El Cool Magnifico (2002)

Coolio - The Return of the Gantsta (2006)

Coolio - Miscellaneous