Coolio
American rapper (1963–2022)
- Born
- 1 August 1963, Monessen
- Died
- 28 September 2022
- Citizenship
- United States
- Occupation
- rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor
- Films here
- 2
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known by his stage name Coolio, was an American rapper, songwriter and record producer. He was best known for his single "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995), which won a Grammy Award, and was credited for changing the course of hip-hop by bringing it to a wider audience. Other singles included "Fantastic Voyage" (1994), "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996), and "C U When U Get There" (1997). He released nine albums, the first three of which achieved mainstream success: It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta's Paradise (1995), and My Soul (1997). Coolio first achieved recognition as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle. Coolio sold 4.8 million albums in the U.S.
He also created the six-episode reality television show Coolio's Rules (2008), the web series Cookin' with Coolio, and published a cookbook.
Filmography (martial arts films)
| Year | Film | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | China Strike Force | Cast |
| 2003 | Daredevil | Cast |
Frequent collaborators
- Aaron Kwok
- Leehom Wang
- Mark Dacascos
- Paul Chun
- Stanley Tong
- Ben Affleck
- Jennifer Garner
- Michael Clarke Duncan
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q310357 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.