Coolio

Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Monessen, Pennsylvania, was an American rapper and songwriter who also produced records. He began recording singles in the late 1980s and first reached a wider audience in 1991 as a member of WC and the Maad Circle. After signing with Tommy Boy Records in 1994, he released his debut album It Takes a Thief, which included the hit Fantastic Voyage. His 1995 single Gangsta's Paradise, recorded for the film Dangerous Minds, won the Grammy for best rap solo performance and was credited with bringing hip-hop to a broader audience. Further hits included 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New) and C U When U Get There, and he released nine albums overall. He later created the reality show Coolio's Rules and the web series Cookin' with Coolio, published a cookbook, and voiced Kwanzaa-bot on Futurama, including Bender's Big Score (2007). He died in 2022.