Coolio gained fame with his hit song 'Gangsta's Paradise' in 1995, featured in the movie 'Dangerous Minds'. |
He struggled with asthma as a child, appearing frail. |
He was briefly involved with the 'Baby Crip' gang but left after witnessing a murder. |
Despite struggling with crack-cocaine addiction in his teens, he later overcame it. |
His debut album 'It Takes a Thief' went Platinum, selling over 1 million copies. |
'Gangsta's Paradise' topped music charts in multiple countries. |
Coolio authored 'Cookin' with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price' due to his love for cooking. |
He performed for UN peacekeeping troops in Bosnia Herzegovina and Tuzla in 2002. |
Coolio became a spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. |
He supported the Environmental Justice and Climate Change campaign to raise awareness about global warming. |
His stage name 'Coolio' originated from a nickname given by friends. |
Coolio worked as a voice-over artist for the animated show Futurama (1999-2003). |
Despite an asthma attack at a live concert in 2016, Coolio continued performing after receiving an inhaler. |
'Gangsta's Paradise' has reached 1 billion views on YouTube. |
He collaborated with iconic hip-hop artists like Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy E, and Snoop Dogg. |
Coolio advocated for unity in the hip-hop community, aiming to end the East Coast-West Coast feud. |