Coolio was a legendary American rapper and actor. His voice was smooth yet gritty. He defined 90s hip hop with storytelling rhymes.
His real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr. He was born on August 1, 1963. He passed away in 2022 at age 59. He stood 5 feet 8 inches tall. He weighed 176 pounds. His genre was West Coast Hip Hop. He was a father to ten children. His net worth was $1.5 million.
Coolio WIKI/Bio
Coolio Real Name
His real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr. He dropped the “Artis” for stage fame. He chose Coolio as his rap alias. The name fit his cool demeanor perfectly.
He wanted a name that sounded fun and funky. He never liked his birth name professionally. He said Coolio was his true identity. It helped him build a brand.
Most fans never called him Artis. But Artis Ivey was a smart businessman. He turned royalties into stability. His name change worked very well.
Coolio Early Life and Education
He was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania . He moved to Compton, California as a teen. His childhood was tough and poor. He faced gang pressure often. He used music to escape the streets.
He attended Compton Community College. He studied vocals and music theory. He worked as a firefighter and security guard. He also did shoplifting as a youth. Those crimes got him arrested several times.
School was not his favorite place. He preferred library books on music. His real education was surviving Compton. That street knowledge made his rap real.
Coolio Parents and Siblings
His father was Artis Leon Ivey Sr. He worked as a factory worker. His mother was Jackie Slater. She was a factory worker too . They struggled to pay bills always.
He has one brother named Malieek Straughter. Malieek became an actor as well. The brothers grew up close despite poverty. Their parents divorced when Coolio was young.
His father was absent often. His mother raised him mostly alone. He later reconnected with his dad. Family was broken but loving. He dedicated songs to them later.
Coolio Wife or Girlfriend
Coolio was a male rapper. He married Josefa Salinas in 1996 . They had four children together. They divorced in 2000 amicably. He then married Mimi Ivey in 2013 .
He had many girlfriends over time. He was dating someone at his death. He never hid his love for women. He had children with several partners.
His relationships were complicated but honest. He admitted his flaws publicly. He loved his baby mamas respectfully. He provided for all his kids. His family was unconventional but united.
Coolio Age, Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
Coolio was 59 years old when he died in 2022. His height was 5 feet 8 inches . He weighed around 176 pounds . He had an average and heavy build. He did not work out regularly.
His eyes were dark brown . He was bald most of his career. He had no hair on his head. His skin tone was brown. He had a chest size of 44 inches. His waist was 36 inches. His biceps measured 14 inches.
He wore jheri curls in the 80s. Later he shaved it all off. He had a distinctive goatee beard. He looked older than his years. His lifestyle was hard on his body.
Coolio Before Fame
Before rap, Coolio sold magazines door to door. He worked as a firefighter in California. He was a security guard at LAX airport. He struggled to make ends meet daily.
He stole cars for quick cash. He spent time in jail for larceny. That life scared his mother deeply. He promised to change forever.
He started battling in local rap cyphers. He joined the group WC and the Maad Circle. He released his first single in 1987. Fame was a slow climb. He was 29 before his first hit.
Coolio Career
His career exploded in 1994. He released “It Takes a Thief”. The single “Fantastic Voyage” hit #3 on Billboard . It went platinum quickly.
In 1995, he dropped “Gangsta’s Paradise” . The song featured L.V. on hooks. It was for the movie “Dangerous Minds” . It went #1 for three weeks .
He won a Grammy in 1996. He won Best Rap Solo Performance . That song is one of history’s best sellers. He later recorded the “Kenan & Kel” theme song. He acted in movies like “Dangerous Minds”.
He released 8 studio albums total . His last album was in 2009. He toured Europe frequently. He also became a chef on TV. His career was colorful and long.
Coolio Social Media Presence
Coolio was active on Instagram. He had 500k followers there. He posted cooking videos often. He called himself “Chef Coolio” .
He used Twitter sporadically. He had 200k followers. He tweeted about politics and rap. He loved arguing with fans occasionally.
His accounts are now archived by family. They post tributes often. Social media keeps his legacy alive. Fans still comment daily. He was authentic online always.
Coolio Net Worth and Achievements
His net worth was $1.5 million at death . He earned from music royalties. He made money from streams of “Gangsta’s Paradise”. He got residuals from TV shows.
He won 1 Grammy award. He had 3 Grammy nominations total . He won 2 MTV Video Music Awards. He had 2 American Music Award nominations.
He sold over 10 million records worldwide. He has a platinum album. He has gold singles too. He is in the Compton Hall of Fame. His star faded but his hits didn’t.
Coolio Legacy and Impact
Coolio changed 90s hip hop forever. He made conscious rap mainstream. He sampled Stevie Wonder perfectly. He proved rap could be melodic. He brought storytelling to pop radio.
He influenced Weird Al Yankovic. He inspired Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. His song “Gangsta’s Paradise” is timeless. It has over 1 billion streams. It is used in movies constantly.
He showed rappers can cook too. His “Cookin’ with Coolio” show was fun. He was a positive figure later in life. He left behind 10 children. His impact is family and music.
Coolio Nationality and Religion
Coolio was American by nationality. He was born in Pennsylvania. He repped Compton his whole life. He was proud to be a US citizen.
His religion was Christian. He believed in God openly. He was not church regular though. He prayed in hard times. He also studied Islam briefly.
He respected all faiths equally. He said music was his religion. He found peace in cooking too. His spirituality was personal. He did not preach often.
Coolio Future Plans and Goals
Coolio passed away in 2022. He had plans for a reality show. He wanted to open a restaurant. He was writing a cookbook for fans.
He wanted to tour Australia again. He planned a collaboration album. He wanted to mentor young rappers. He hoped to see his grandkids grow.
His death stopped these dreams. His family completed his cookbook. It was released in 2024. His legacy lives on. His goals became posthumous gifts.
Coolio Awards and Achievements
- Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo (1996)
- 3 Grammy Nominations (1996, 1997)
- 2 MTV Video Music Awards
- Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Single
- Soul Train Music Award Nominee
- American Music Award Nominee (2x)
- Hollywood Walk of Fame (Star posthumous, 2024)
- Compton Walk of Fame Inductee
Coolio Business Ventures
He started a record label called Cavvy Records. He was a chef with a YouTube series. He had a hot sauce brand called “Coolio’s”. He sold merchandise at concerts.
He invested in real estate in LA. He owned rental properties. He also flipped furniture for cash. He did voice acting for cartoons. He was a guest chef on TV shows.
He endorsed weed products legally. He had a cannabis strain named after him. His business mind was average but steady. He did not blow his money. He lived comfortably.
Coolio Popular Songs and Albums
Albums:
- It Takes a Thief (1994) – Platinum
- Gangsta’s Paradise (1995) – 2x Platinum
- My Soul (1997) – Gold
- Coolio (2001)
- From the Bottom 2 the Top (2009)
Famous Songs:
- Gangsta’s Paradise
- Fantastic Voyage
- 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)
- C U When U Get There
- Too Hot
- It’s All the Way Live (Now)
- Hit ‘Em High (with B-Real, Method Man, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes)
- Aw, Here It Goes! (Kenan & Kel Theme)
Coolio Public Image
His public image was funny and tough. Fans saw him as a storyteller. He wore jheri curls and braids. He looked like a street philosopher.
He got in fights with other rappers. He infamously fought Vanilla Ice in the 90s. They later reconciled before death . He had a temper but a soft heart.
Later in life, he was “Chef Coolio” . He was soft and grandfatherly. He hosted kids cooking shows. His image evolved with age. He died respected by most.
Coolio Songs List
- Gangsta’s Paradise (1995)
- Fantastic Voyage (1994)
- 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New) (1996)
- C U When U Get There (1997)
- Too Hot (1995)
- It’s All the Way Live (Now) (1996)
- Hit ‘Em High (1996)
- Aw, Here It Goes! (1996)
- Smilin’ (feat. Baby D) (1997)
- The Winner (feat. 2Pac & K-Ci) (1997)
- Mama (I’m in Love wit a Gangsta) (1998)
- Gangsta Walk (feat. Snoop Dogg) (2006)
- Change (2009)
- Cruisin’ (2009)
- Country Line (2009)
- Don’t Stop (2009)
- I Like Girls (2009)
- My Baby Girl (2011)
- Ghetto Square Dance (2014)
- Keep On (2017)
Coolio Movies / TV Shows
- Dangerous Minds (1995) – Himself
- Space Jam (1996) – Voice
- The Naked Brothers Band (2008) – Himself
- Coolio’s Rules (2008) – Himself
- Law & Order: SVU (2009) – Guest
- Futurama (2010) – Voice (Kwanzaa-Bot)
- Celebrity Big Brother (UK) (2009) – Contestant
- Cookin’ with Coolio (2013) – Host
- The Eric Andre Show (2014) – Guest
- Gravity Falls (2015) – Voice
- Teachers (2017) – Himself
- Let’s Be Real (2021) – Himself
- NCIS (2022) – Final Cameo
- Hip Hop Squares – Panelist
- Midnight Jam – Host
Coolio Hobbies
- Cooking gourmet meals
- Playing chess
- Collecting sneakers
- Fishing at the pier
- Watching cartoons
- Playing video games
- Writing poetry
- Gardening vegetables
- Riding motorcycles
- Bowling with family
Coolio Favorite Things
- Favorite food: Fried chicken
- Favorite drink: Hennessy
- Favorite car: 1964 Impala
- Favorite rapper: Ice Cube
- Favorite actor: Denzel Washington
- Favorite sport: Basketball
- Favorite vacation spot: Jamaica
- Favorite book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Favorite movie: Scarface
- Favorite TV show: The Simpsons
Coolio Interesting Facts
- He was a qualified firefighter in California.
- He wrote “Gangsta’s Paradise” in 15 minutes.
- He initially hated Weird Al’s parody.
- He has 10 children with 8 different women .
- He was arrested for shoplifting as a teen.
- He weighed 300 lbs in high school.
- He opened for The Rolling Stones once.
- His haircut was called the “Jheri Curl” .
- He won a Grammy but lost it for years.
- He was a certified forklift driver.
FAQs
Q1: How old was Coolio when he died?
A1: Coolio was 59 years old. He died on September 28, 2022.
Q2: What is Coolio’s real name?
A2: His real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr. He was known as Coolio.
Q3: How many children did Coolio have?
A3: He had 10 children. He loved being a father to all of them .
Q4: What is Coolio’s net worth?
A4: His net worth was $1.5 million. He earned from music and cooking .
Q5: What is Coolio’s most famous song?
A5: His most famous song is “Gangsta’s Paradise” . It won a Grammy in 1996.
Conclusion
Coolio was a 59-year-old rap legend at passing. His height was 5 feet 8 inches. He weighed 176 pounds. His family included 10 beloved children. His net worth of $1.5 million reflected a steady career.
He survived poverty and addiction struggles. He turned pain into platinum records. He became a TV personality too. His legacy touches rap, comedy, and cooking. He never lost his street edge.
Coolio remains a 90s icon forever. His music plays on radio daily. He was a father, chef, and artist. His story inspires millions of fans. Coolio is truly missed deeply.
