| Gangsta's Paradise | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Coolio |
| Cover: | Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise.jpg |
| Studio: | Echo Sounds, Los Angeles, California and Studio 56, Hollywood, California |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 64:25 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | It Takes a Thief |
| Prev Year: | 1994 |
| Next Title: | My Soul |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
Gangsta's Paradise is the second studio album by American rapper Coolio, released on November 7, 1995.[2] [3] It is Coolio's best-selling album, with over two million copies sold in the United States. The album produced three singles, which became hits: the title track (which was first used in the 1995 film Dangerous Minds,[4] released before Coolio's album), "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)", and "Too Hot".
Three songs were released as singles. "Gangsta's Paradise" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" reached number 5, and "Too Hot" peaked at number 24.
The album was nominated for a 1997 Grammy for Best Rap Album. The song "Gangsta's Paradise" won a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. "Sumpin' New" was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Barry Walters of Spin magazine said, "Today's rappers aren't interested in sharing any knowledge with outsiders. Coolio is the great exception... the most stylistically broad mainstream rap album you'll probably hear all year. Even upon first listen, it sounds like a collection of hits."
Entertainment Weekly ranked the album #4 on EW's Top 10 Albums of 1995, and said, "The level-headed street philosopher, preaching respect for black women, fatherly responsibility, and safe sex... continuing in the great tradition of Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder... Coolio and his crew make the ghetto seem not just a place of desolation, but of hope."[5]
The Source magazine's Allen S. Gordon wrote, "The crazy braided one brings skilled and insightful lyrics that reach and relate to all levels of the Black experience... sets standards that corny lyrics and catchy loops can't compete with... Few artists can straddle the line between commercial and underground hip-hop."
Musician said, "Coolio ties his music to a message that's as deep as the groove."[6]
Rap Pages gave the album 7 out of 10, and said, "Maybe because he rapped for a decade with no props, got yanked on record deals... this cool-ass homie from Compton has stayed grounded... Coolio rejoices in the only life he knows."[7]
NME gave the album 7 out of 10, and said, "Instead of playing the role of the Uzi-toting big-shot, he adopts a more reflective view of urban life in Los Angeles... In doing so, Coolio takes a deliberate step forward from last year's light-hearted debut."
| Title | Producer(s) | Performer(s) | Length | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "That's How It Is" | Coolio | 1:00 | ||
| 2 | "Geto Highlites" | 4:59 | |||
| 3 | "Gangsta's Paradise" | 4:00 | |||
| 4 | "Too Hot" | Bryan Wino Dobbs | 3:40 | ||
| 5 | "Cruisin'" | 4:34 | |||
| 6 | "Exercise Yo Game" | 4:49 | |||
| 7 | "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" | Coolio | 3:33 | ||
| 8 | "Smilin'" | 4:07 | |||
| 9 | "Fucc Coolio" | Coolio | Coolio | 0:50 | |
| 10 | "Kinda High Kinda Drunk" | Coolio | 3:44 | ||
| 11 | "For My Sistas" | Oji Pierce | 4:26 | ||
| 12 | "Is This Me?" | 4:23 | |||
| 13 | "A Thing Goin' On" | Oji Pierce | 4:45 | ||
| 14 | "Bright As the Sun" | Oji Pierce | 4:47 | ||
| 15 | "Recoup This" | Spoon | 1:21 | ||
| 16 | "The Revolution" | Bryan Wino Dobbs | Coolio | 3:48 | |
| 17 | "Get Up, Get Down" | Bryan Wino Dobbs | 5:32 |
| Chart (1995–96) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[8] | 17 |
| UK R&B (UK R&B Singles and Albums Charts)[9] | 3 |
| Chart (1996) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[10] | 41 | |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[11] | 52 | |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[12] | 45 | |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] | 21 | |
| US Billboard 200[14] | 20 | |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] | 42 |