Experience the evolution of this anthem, from the original masterpiece to the most popular fan-made legend remixes:
These "mega-remixes" are popular in the hip-hop community as "tribute" tracks. They typically blend the iconic, somber beat of Coolio's 1995 hit with classic verses from other legends to create a "dream" collaboration that never happened in real life.
: Stevie Wonder initially refused to clear the sample because he didn't want his music associated with profanity. Coolio had to rewrite the lyrics to contain no curse words to get Wonder's final approval.
: It is built on a sample of Stevie Wonder 's 1976 song "Pastime Paradise".
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official 4K Music Video] YouTube · CoolioVEVO
: The verses used for 2Pac , Eazy-E , and others are usually stripped from their own famous tracks (acapellas) and synced to the "Gangsta's Paradise" tempo. The Original "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995) The authentic version has its own incredible history:
: It was the first rap song to ever be the #1 Billboard song of the year (1995) and won Coolio a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.
: The song was the lead single for the movie Dangerous Minds (1995), and the famous music video features actress Michelle Pfeiffer .