What Was Late Rapper Coolio’s Real Name and How Did He Become ‘Coolio’?
Rappers face one of the most competitive genres of music out there. Yet, the late Coolio stood out among the crowd thanks to his signature vocal delivery and penchant for cross-over hits.
Coolio even became one of the first rappers to get his music parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic — a testament to his mainstream appeal and cultural impact. But what was Coolio’s real name, and where did he get his smooth stage name?
Rapper Coolio rose to prominence in the ’90s
Arguably, the song most Coolio fans associate the late rapper with is “Gangsta’s Paradise.” The track became a breakout single after its inclusion on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer also shares the screen with Coolio in the song’s music video, which includes R&B singer L.V. belting out the chorus.
However, “Gangsta’s Paradise” wasn’t the first hit song performed by Coolio. That honor came the previous year when the rapper’s debut album It Takes a Thief hit the charts. That collection features Coolio’s first breakout single, “Fantastic Voyage.”
Though “Gangsta’s Paradise” became the title track of Coolio’s second album thanks to its No. 1 status, his career continued to include several more studio albums released as recently as 2009.
Many fans only know Coolio’s stage name but not its origin story
Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio was initially called “Boo” in high school, according to Black Names Project. But after a friend jokingly called him “Coolio Iglesias” as a riff on Latin singer Julio Iglesias, the name “Coolio” stuck and became his calling card.
When Ivey began rapping, his nickname was a succinct way of describing his stage presence.
Given the rapper’s smooth vocal style, “Coolio” seems a strong fit. Considering how well his career turned out, he certainly had good reason to embrace it over time. Coolio earned a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise” in 1996.
Coolio died on September 28, 2022, at age 59
Coolio tragically died on September 28, 2022. The exact cause of death is not yet clear, as the investigation into his death is ongoing. While he no longer walks among us, Coolio’s legacy will live on. “Gangsta’s Paradise,” 1994’s “Fantastic Voyage,” and 1996’s “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” remain the most recognizable hit songs he ever made.
Fans still have all eight of his studio albums and his hit songs to remember him by. The rapper reportedly carried a net worth of $1.5 million.
After 1996, he released his albums independently. More recently, Coolio started the Cookin’ with Coolio web series. He also performed the theme song to the popular Nickelodeon show Kenan & Kel, which ran from 1996 to 2000.
