Coolio | Gone But Not Forgotten | Gangsta's Paradise Tribute
Hip-Hop legend, Coolio, the man who once lit up the charts with massive hits like “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage”, has died at the age of 59. Born Artis Ivey Jr. on August 1st, 1963 in Monessen, Pennsylvania -- which is just South of Pittsburgh -- Coolio moved to Compton, California as a kid and then spent his teenaged years growing-up in Northern part of the state where his mother sent him after realizing that Compton was far too dangerous a place for her son to spend his childhood. In past interviews, Coolio has suggested he first became a fan of hip-hop after hearing “Freedom” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. He was captivated by the flow of rapper Melle Mel and would do his best to imitate that iconic style when he first started rapping at the age of 15. Within three years, Coolio says he knew that hip-hop was what he wanted to do with his life, but he’d wind up attending Compton Community College and working as a volunteer firefighter and as security at LAX before devoting himself to his true passion.