Coolio's "Gangsta’s Paradise" Lyrics Meaning - Song Meanings and Facts (2023)

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What is the story behind Gangsta's Paradise? ›

The film follows an idealistic teacher, Pfeiffer, and her students in a troubled inner-city high school. Coolio wrote the verses to go along with the plotline of the film and the lack of control the kids have in their lives.

"Gangsta's Paradise" is a single by American rapper Coolio. Interpolating Stevie Wonder's 1976 song "Pastime Paradise", and featuring American singer L.V., the single was released on August 1, 1995. Certified Platinum in October, the song was included on Coolio's second album Gangsta's Paradise in November 1995.

The singer L.V. (born Larry Sanders), who features on the song, had already started collaborating with Rasheed on the track, he said in an interview, when Coolio wrote those lyrics.

While he might be best known for “Gangsta's Paradise,” Coolio is far from a one- or two-hit wonder, achieving major label success throughout the '90s.

Primary themes of gangster rap music are identified, particularly with respect to glorifying the gang lifestyle and mentality, violence, racism, the black male sexual stereotype as a lover, and sexist attitudes toward women.

Noun. gangsta (plural gangstas) (slang) A member of an urban criminal or street gang.

Gangsta rap has been recurrently accused of promoting disorderly conduct and broad criminality, especially assault, homicide, and drug dealing, as well as misogyny, promiscuity, and materialism.

10/3/2022 11:59 AM PT

What's more, we know Coolio's family also told investigators looking into his death about his history with asthma. We're told Coolio would always travel with several inhalers to keep his condition in check -- even using them on stage during some of his performances.

Rapper Coolio, most famous for his hit song “Gangsta's Paradise,” died at age 59 on Sept. 28, TMZ reported. At the time of his death, the performer held an estimated net worth of $1.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap".

Where did gangsta culture come from? ›

In Houston, Texas, the Geto Boys' sex- and violence-dominated music was the subject of outrage in some corners. But gangsta rap became a national phenomenon in California, where a distinct school of West Coast hip-hop began with Eazy E's Los Angeles group N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude).

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio was initially called “Boo” in high school, according to Black Names Project. But after a friend jokingly called him “Coolio Iglesias” as a riff on Latin singer Julio Iglesias, the name “Coolio” stuck and became his calling card.

According to Pierre Bradshaw, who worked 6 years at MCA/Universal Music, a band with a hit song can bring in anywhere from $10 thousand to $50 thousand per performance. And the actual members of the band get to keep around 85% to 90% of that. (Their manager usually gets a 10% to 15% cut.)

Eazy-E is, without a doubt, the most notorious gangsta rapper of all. The artist was a gangbanging long before he ever stood close to a microphone, and it was this fearsome refusal to be anything other than “real” that attracted Dre to the artist in the first place.

Gangsta rap played an essential and highly complex role in shaping rhetorical and political discourse surrounding the criminal justice system in the mid 1980s and 1990s during the War on Crime Era.

This research concluded that listening to aggressive music with aggressive lyrics increases aggressive thoughts and feelings, which often turn into aggressive and violent actions. Now, for how rap music has influenced drug use and drug involvement in generally.

A gun moll or gangster moll or gangster's moll is the female companion of a male professional criminal. "Gun" was British slang for thief, derived from Yiddish ganef, from the Hebrew gannāb (גנב). "Moll" is also used as a euphemism for a woman prostitute.

Gina believes strongly in the Three Laws that govern Twilights, which are based on Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics: No action can be taken against 'normals', obey your master, defend yourself.

What does O.G. stand for? ›

OG stands for Original Gangster. OG is an internet slang initialism used to describe an extraordinary person.

Gangsta rap, a style of rap with lyrics that often depict violence and activities related to street gangs, emerged in the 1980s with Los Angeles-based rappers like N.W.A. and Ice-T.

The major pioneers of rapping were Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, and the Cold Crush Brothers, whose Grandmaster Caz is controversially considered by some to be the true author of some of the strongest lyrics in “Rapper's Delight.” These early MCs and deejays constituted rap's old school.

A slang term that stands for gangster; commonly used in an urban setting or by teenage posers who think they're really cool; stems from OG; appears in many rap songs.

Because Ivey is a convicted felon, he can't own any firearms, knives, ammunition or weapons of any kind. Outside of the courtroom, Ivey told reporters the ordeal was a misunderstanding. “I do not condone the use of firearms legal or illegal,” he said. “I was very worried.”

Throughout the 40 years of Hip-Hop, artists like Pharoahe Monch have suffered at the hands of an asthma attack. Lil' Scrappy, for example, who's famous for his “crunk” street-driven anthems, was hospitalized circa 2012 after experiencing a severe asthma seizure.

Coolio apparently suffered a heart attack at a friend's house, his manager said.

Snoop Dogg has made a massive wealth as well, currently Snoop Dogg Net Worth 2023 is $165 million.

coolio (not comparable) (slang) Cool; awesome; alright. quotations ▼

Who is the god father of rap? ›

R&B Singer Andre Williams — Known as the “Godfather of Rap” — Dead at 82.

One of the first rappers at the beginning of the hip hop period, at the end of the 1970s, was also hip hop's first DJ, DJ Kool Herc. Herc, a Jamaican immigrant, started delivering simple raps at his parties, which some claim were inspired by the Jamaican tradition of toasting.

Kanye West Killed 50 Cent AND Gangsta Rap 10 Years Ago (Video) Ten years ago this week, Hip-Hop experienced a real watershed moment. On September 11, 2007, 50 Cent and Kanye West squared off. It was not physical.

Gangs normally project an arrogant and defiant attitude in an attempt to intimidate others, especially in a public place and while in the presence of other gang members. Attitude is displayed when an impression can be made, to create fear and intimidate others.

Rap began in 1971, in the Bronx, with Kool Herc, who was from Jamaica. At block parties, Kool Herc would play two turntables by hand and manipulate the sound to create an entirely new sound, while he rapped the lyrics from the song he was playing.

Gangsta rap has been widely criticized for an array of societal ills, including promoting crime (including murder), homophobia, rape, drug dealing, street gangs, sexism and much more.

But the Gangsta's Paradise hitmaker said he would be taking precautions this time. It comes after he was robbed when he jumped into the crowd at a gig at Staffordshire University in 2009. The 53-year-old said: "I consider my UK fans, friends and fellow artists as family.

As per a report by Business Insider, Coolio received $23,227 per annum as royalties for Gangsta's Paradise. The rapper also generated between $134,000 and $225,000 per year for his 123 songs. Apart from royalties from his music, Coolio has made appearances in several films and television shows during his life.

Coolio's real name is Artis Leon Ivey, Jr. He was given the nickname Coolio Iglesias when he was studying at Compton Community College. 5. Coolio's unimpressive movie career includes credits as a banker in Batman And Robin, Ice T's Judgement Day and spoof horror Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The Thirteenth.

Guinness World Records also states that double A-side charity single "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) by Elton John (rewritten as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, rather than Marilyn Monroe in the original 1973 version), is "the biggest-selling single since UK and US ...

What is the most played song of all time? ›

There's even a dispute over the exact title. Yet “It's a Small World,” also known as “It's a Small, Small World” and “It's a Small World (After All),” is very likely the most played song in music history — nearly 50 million times.

Based on real-life events, Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema is a raw look into the crime and corruption of Johannesburg, South Africa.

GANGSTA'S Paradise rapper Coolio has died at age 59 after he reportedly collapsed while at a friend's house. The legendary rapper, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr, died on Wednesday in Los Angeles from what paramedics suspect was a cardiac arrest incident, his talent manager told The U.S. Sun.