Life's a biiiaaatch the way Coolio is remembered as a one hit wonder, especially when the one hit he's remembered for is #actually his third best hit. Get a calculator, do the math: Gangsta's Paradise gets in where it fits in at number three behind Fantastic Voyage and Coolio's hit single ne plus ultra Too Hot. Only a G-Funk backdrop and a J.T Taylor chorus could turn the topic of STD's into a Pop-Rap classic. Before Too $hort told the turf to Burn Rubber, Coolio implored the lads to wear one.
Coolio ft. J.T Taylor - Too Hot
(From Gangsta's Paradise album; 1995)
Gangsta's Paradise woulda been relegated to Coolio's fourth best hit if Tommy Boy had dropped the extended version of Aw Here It Goes as a single. It's a Hardy Boy mystery why the label never released that shit on 12", and a Nancy Drew mystery why it only exists on the European CD of Coolio's greatest hits.
Coolio - Aw Here It Goes (Kenan & Kel extended Theme)
(From TV show; 1996/Fantastic Voyage: The Greatest Hits album; 2001)
Any good late-career Coolio singles I should know about? If so, hold my hand and take me to the promised land.
Coolios first two albums were actually pretty good, they were like a more palatable for white America version of west coast gangsta rap/Bay Area mob music of the era. Also it’s totally unrelated but that new A-Wax I really wanted to like but besides a couple of songs it’s more ATL lite emo he’s been doing this past few years.
Typical exemple of a rapper who mainstream folk think he's a one hit wonder whereas he has a bunch of crucial hits and deeps cuts, ala Luniz or Sir Mix A Lot just to only name those.
File it under late nite posting when the baby sleeps, I meant to post Is This Me alongside A Thing Going' On.
The Dazzie Dee album is dollar-bin G-Funk perfected, got it for not more than 5 euros at a local record shop and the whole thing rules. Half of the tracks are produced by Battlecat, there's Dolemite on one song, while the closing track has both King Tee, Mixmaster Spade and CPT's legend Toddy Tee on it.
The "Too Hot" video/song has always been so damn wild to me.
People turning into marbles, Coolio turning into a drugstore halloween costume demon
the melodic ad-libs at the end of the song "this message comes from coolio"
10/10
Sidebar: "Gangstas Paradise" isn't even the best song from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. That honor would go to the Mr. Dalvin solo song or the Devante solo song.
Plus the video has hilarious pre-fame cameos from Timbaland, Magoo, Static and Ginuwine
Coolios first two albums were actually pretty good, they were like a more palatable for white America version of west coast gangsta rap/Bay Area mob music of the era. Also it’s totally unrelated but that new A-Wax I really wanted to like but besides a couple of songs it’s more ATL lite emo he’s been doing this past few years.
ReplyDeleteA-Wax is pretty much done to me now.
ReplyDeleteQuite liked Mama, I'm in Love wit a Gangsta back in the day, but Coolio will always get respect for surviving Tina Malone.
ReplyDeleteWhen he said Tina looked like "a bowling ball with legs" 😄
ReplyDeleteUnofficial #CoolioHive meeting up in here.
ReplyDeleteI'll see you when you get there.
ReplyDeleteTypical exemple of a rapper who mainstream folk think he's a one hit wonder whereas he has a bunch of crucial hits and deeps cuts, ala Luniz or Sir Mix A Lot just to only name those.
ReplyDeleteGonna contribute with these:
https://youtu.be/42yGD4QWivo
https://youtu.be/42yGD4QWivo
They're back to back on the album just to make things even more smooth.
And the runner up: https://youtu.be/Ah6B7N1ONxg
Not one of his songs but a great one, also just found out that it has a music video.
You posted A Thing Goin' On twice.
ReplyDeleteExercise Yo Game is my deep cut of choice from the 2nd album. Incidentally, it's also the B-side to Too Hot.
That Dazzie Dee song is the shit. Never heard that before.
Picked up Takes A Thief in a charity shop recently. Had it on tape back in the day and it has some certy jams on there.
ReplyDelete+ kind of mad that Coolio raps on one of the best tracks (or certainly one of the less #problematic ones) on Death Certificate too innit
ReplyDeleteLol true.
ReplyDeleteTaking meticulous notes as I'm totally not up on Coolio.
ReplyDeleteFirst 2 albums are worth checking.
ReplyDeleteFile it under late nite posting when the baby sleeps, I meant to post Is This Me alongside A Thing Going' On.
ReplyDeleteThe Dazzie Dee album is dollar-bin G-Funk perfected, got it for not more than 5 euros at a local record shop and the whole thing rules. Half of the tracks are produced by Battlecat, there's Dolemite on one song, while the closing track has both King Tee, Mixmaster Spade and CPT's legend Toddy Tee on it.
I'm gonna check it.
ReplyDeleteThe "Too Hot" video/song has always been so damn wild to me.
ReplyDeletePeople turning into marbles, Coolio turning into a drugstore halloween costume demon
the melodic ad-libs at the end of the song "this message comes from coolio"
10/10
Sidebar: "Gangstas Paradise" isn't even the best song from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. That honor would go to the Mr. Dalvin solo song or the Devante solo song.
Plus the video has hilarious pre-fame cameos from Timbaland, Magoo, Static and Ginuwine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bbOi3EKo7Q
Always loved the puddle reflection shots in that.
ReplyDeletethis been on rotation since elementary school
ReplyDeletethe glass cutter like butter line, ooh that's smooth
https://youtu.be/ZpUDSDdg6ro
Poetry.
ReplyDelete