Gangsta's Paradise

"Gangsta's Paradise" is a 1995 hip-hop song by American rapper Coolio featuring L.V.

"Gangsta's Paradise" is a 1995 hip-hop song by American rapper Coolio featuring L.V. It was released as a single on August 1, 1995, and later appeared on the soundtrack to *Dangerous Minds* and on Coolio's album *Gangsta's Paradise*. The song interpolates Stevie Wonder's 1976 track "Pastime Paradise" and became one of the best-known rap singles of the 1990s.

Background and release

"Gangsta's Paradise" was issued in August 1995 as a single by Coolio featuring L.V. It was also included on the soundtrack of *Dangerous Minds* and later on Coolio's album of the same name.

Composition

The song is built around an interpolation of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise," with additional writing credit given to Wonder. Its production and confessional lyrical style helped distinguish it from many mainstream rap singles of the period.

Commercial performance

The single was a major international hit, topping charts in multiple countries and becoming the biggest-selling single of 1995 in the United States. It also became the first rap single to debut at number one in the UK.

Awards and recognition

The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and received additional music-video honours. It has since been widely recognised as one of the defining rap songs of the 1990s.