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Most of Coolio's hit debut It Takes a Thief was fairly upbeat material, but the appearance of the stark single "Gangsta's Paradise" in the summer of 1995 signaled a change in the rapper's music. Driven by an ominously deep bassline and slashing strings, the creeping, threatening funk of "Gangsta's Paradise" was the most chilling thing Coolio had recorded to date, but the menace didn't come at the expense of his considerable talent for immediate, catchy hooks. Consequently, the single shot to the top of the charts and hovered in the Top Ten for many weeks. The album followed shortly afterwards, and it didn't fail to deliver on the promise of the single. Not only did Coolio expand his sound, but his songwriting skills improved, as Gangsta's Paradise has very few weak moments. Alternating between slow, funky grooves and elastic, party-ready anthems, Gangsta's Paradise is proof that Coolio is one of the most exciting and interesting hip-hop artists of the mid-'90s.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Coolio, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Talkbox, Additional Vocals - L.V., FeaturedArtist
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
D. Davis, Writer - J. Austin, Writer - Wino, Mixer - Coolio, MainArtist - 40 Thevz, Background Vocals - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - C. Hamabe, Writer - Chris Fletcher, Guitar - Chris Hamabe, Keyboards, Programmer - Christopher Hamabe, Producer - Devon Davis, Producer, Programmer - Mark Nathan, Mixer - Roy "Dog" Pennon, Keyboards, Bass
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Larry Sanders, Writer - Doug Rasheed, Producer, Writer - Stevie Wonder, Writer - Coolio, Writer, Rap, MainArtist - L.V., Rap, FeaturedArtist
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
George Brown, Writer - Bob Morse, Mixer - Stan Jones, Guitar - JAMES TAYLOR, Background Vocals - Coolio, Writer, MainArtist - Roy "Dog" Pennon, Keyboards, Bass - Brain Dobbs, Producer - Bryan Dobbs, Writer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
M. Bradford, Writer - D. Davis, Writer - Coolio, Performance, MainArtist - W.ROBINSON, Writer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - C. Hamabe, Writer - Chris Hamabe, Keyboards, Programmer - Christopher Hamabe, Producer - Devon Davis, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer - Mark Nathan, Mixer - J. Tarplin, Writer - Shaunna D., Background Vocals - Malika, Additional Vocals
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
J. Williams, Writer - E. Stevens, Writer - E-40, FeaturedArtist - Wino, Producer - Stan Jones, Guitar - JAMES TAYLOR, Background Vocals - Coolio, Producer, Performance, MainArtist - M. THOMPSON, Writer - Jay Williams, ExecutiveProducer - 40 Thevz, FeaturedArtist - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Albee, Producer - H. Straughter, Writer - M. Straughter, Writer - Maurice Thompson, ExecutiveProducer - Pennon, Keyboards, Bass - Kam, FeaturedArtist - Paul Stewart, Producer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Tom Browne, Writer - Patrick Adams, Writer - David Grusin, Writer - Coolio, Writer, MainArtist - Sekou Bunch, Writer - Toni Smith, Writer - Adrian Sear, Writer - Sandora Cooper, Writer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
J. Carter, Writer - D. Aldridge, Writer - S. Stewart, Writer - ROB CHIARELLI, Mixer - Romeo, All Instruments - Baby G, Background Vocals - Coolio, MainArtist - James Carter, Producer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Dominic Aldridge, Producer - Reece Carter, CoProducer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Coolio, Producer, MainArtist - A. Ivey Jr., Writer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
J. Carter, Writer - D. Aldridge, Writer - Coolio, Performance, MainArtist - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Dominic Aldridge, Producer - Danny Taylor, CoProducer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Oji Pierce, Producer - Andrew Gouche', Bass - E. Isley, Writer - O. Isley, Writer - Bob Morse, Mixer - R. ISLEY., Writer - Coolio, MainArtist - O. Pierce, Writer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - C. Jaspar, Writer - Darryl Crookes, Guitar - Lashanna Dendy, Background Vocals - Oji, Mixer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
LV, Background Vocals - ROB CHIARELLI, Mixer - Coolio, Vocals, MainArtist - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Deyon Davis, Producer, Writer - Eric Park, Guitar - Frank Cannon, Keyboards - Rated R, Additional Vocals, Writer - Charles Anderson, Bass
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Coolio, MainArtist
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Oji Pierce, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Bob Morse, Mixer - Coolio, MainArtist - Brian James, Guitar - O. Pierce, Writer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Will Wheaton, Background Vocals
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Spoon, Producer - Coolio, Vocals, MainArtist - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - PS and Capucine Jackson, Additional Vocals
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
A. Butler, Writer - G. Goldstein, Writer - Coolio, Performance, MainArtist - B. Dobbs, Writer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Brian Dobbs, Producer
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
W. Calhoun, Writer - P. Jackson, Writer - B. Maupin, Writer - M. Bradford, Writer - J. Austin, Writer - Stan Jones, Guitar, Bass - W.C., Additional Vocals - Coolio, MainArtist - B. Dobbs, Writer - H. Hancock, Writer - A. Ivey Jr., Writer - Mark Nathan, Mixer - H. Straughter, Writer - M. Straughter, Writer - Pennon, Keyboards, Bass - Brian Dobbs, Producer - L. Petty, Writer - Leek Ratt, Additional Vocals - P. S., Additional Vocals - W. Rooney, Writer - Malika, Additional Vocals - Ras Kass, Additional Vocals - Shorty, Additional Vocals
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1995 Tommy Boy Music Inc.
Album review
Most of Coolio's hit debut It Takes a Thief was fairly upbeat material, but the appearance of the stark single "Gangsta's Paradise" in the summer of 1995 signaled a change in the rapper's music. Driven by an ominously deep bassline and slashing strings, the creeping, threatening funk of "Gangsta's Paradise" was the most chilling thing Coolio had recorded to date, but the menace didn't come at the expense of his considerable talent for immediate, catchy hooks. Consequently, the single shot to the top of the charts and hovered in the Top Ten for many weeks. The album followed shortly afterwards, and it didn't fail to deliver on the promise of the single. Not only did Coolio expand his sound, but his songwriting skills improved, as Gangsta's Paradise has very few weak moments. Alternating between slow, funky grooves and elastic, party-ready anthems, Gangsta's Paradise is proof that Coolio is one of the most exciting and interesting hip-hop artists of the mid-'90s.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:04:18
- Main artists: Coolio
- Label: Tommy Boy Music, LLC
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 2004 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing
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