The Life and Legacy of Coolio, LA Rapper
A short story about a rapper from Compton who charted his own course.
Coolio a Compton, California native, was born August 1, 1963, died on September 28, 2022, and was known for his hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” which was the №1 single hit of 1995 with sales toppling 6 million dollars. He recently performed at the Riot Fest in Chicago’s Douglass Park. Also, he was a 1996 Grammy-winning rapper for best solo rap performance. His fans’ base stretched near and far endearing all with his talent and exposing the positive side of life.
Before getting into the entertainment business, Coilio attended Compton Community College and worked as a volunteer firefighter, and security at Los Angeles International Airport. He heeded the call to become a rapper like none other.
While Coolio was his claim to fame name, his biological name was Artis Leon Ivey, Jr. His walk to fame led him down many paths from musician, reality TV star, cook and cookbook author, and briefly a potential mayor candidate of Compton.
All the while perfecting his life, in the early 1990s, years after the release of his first single, “Whatcha Gonna Do” in 1987, Coolio built his network in Los Angeles’ rap scene while collaborating with hip-hop group WC and the Maad Circle. Hanging in and around the rap scene paid off for him with the release of…
