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.