Gangsta's Paradise [PA] - Coolio (CD 1995)

Ahh - yet another rap artist who generates a singular image when his name is uttered. Yeah, the dude with the weird braids that made that Grammy Award-winning #1 pop smash Gangsta s Paradise . But to the less informed, don t think for a second he hadn t been putting in work before then. He started off with the Madd Circle and even appeared with group member WC in Cube s classic Death Certificate in 1991 (coincidentally enough, WC and Cube would later become two-thirds of the supergroup Westside Connection). Then he left the group and faded away in a three-year bout with a cocaine addition. Fortunately, he left the airport security job he then had and eventually scored his first hit with Fantastic Voyage in 1994, propelling his solo debut It Takes a Thief past the platinum mark. Yep, the guy had been putting in work alright.

But, in a sense, I understand why Coolio is solely associated with Gangsta s Paradise . For one thing, there s the single itself. It s a damn good song, and it completely dwarfed anything he has done before or since. The beat is sampled from a cut off Stevie Wonder s 1976 magnum opus Songs in the Key of Life Pastime s Paradise . I hate to admit this, but the music of Coolio s remake manages to be a lot more exciting than that of the original (then again, I don t think it was one of the better cuts in Songs in the Key of Life). The soothing feel of Wonder s song is altered with haunting strings, choir sounds and a thick brooding bassline layered over a thumping drum beat. The chilling effect as a result is perfect for Coolio s criticism of the gangsta life, as well parts of singer L.V. s hook: Tell me why are we/So blind to see/That the ones we hurt/Are you and me! Tommy Boy be damned. His record label didn t believe it would sell, and they initially hid it in the Dangerous Minds soundtrack in the summer of '95. That s a far cry from months later in November, when the song was so big Coolio released an album constructed around it. That sealed his claim to fame forever, his previous hitmaking notwithstanding.

And here s another thing Fantastic Voyage, a #3 pop hit, shares the same bloodline with Gangsta s Paradise in that it also samples from a '70s song. Coolio began to get a reputation as essentially a cover artist. And this album did little to refute that theory. The beat for Too Hot is borrowed unaltered from Kool & the Gang s Too Hot. Cruisin is a rap remake of Smokey Robinson s Cruising. And A Thing Goin On is nothing but a rap version of Billy Paul s 1972 #1 pop/soul hit Me and Mrs. Jones. Plus, the skits ( Fucc Coolio and Recoup This ) and Kinda High, Kinda Drunk skim through the worn themes of jealousy, violence and drunkenness in the hood, and ultimately render these numbers as rather unnecessary inclusions in this album.

But then again, Gangsta s Paradise actually has more to offer than just the title track. Coolio would never be known as one of the greatest rappers of all time, but at least most of the time - he was a gangsta rapper with a conscience. He advocates safe sex in Too Hot ; dedicates a heartwarming song to his kid ( Smilin ); uplifts black women ( For My Sistas ); and, unlike Ice Cube, he views the ghetto bird as a virtuous watchdog over the hood rather than a representative of an oppressive system ( Bright as the Sun ). He can also get militant, rallying against institutional racism while reprimanding his wayward black brothers ( The Revolution ); and he ponders upon the everyday activities of the ghetto ( Geto Highlites ). Even the few nihilistic moments in Gangsta s Paradise helps define the theme of the album the dichotomous nature of the ghetto. As much as I hate this m**********r, I love this m***********r! he remarks to someone in the street in the opening That s How It Is , right after both men witness a drive-by. It is a constant struggle throughout the album a struggle that, even as it s entrapping (e.g Is This Me ), Coolio seems to manage well most of the time.

With all these aforementioned songs, one would think Gangsta s Paradise would make for a bleak listen. It actually isn t. Coolio along with producers like Doug Rasheed and Brian The Wino Dobbs use standard textbook G-Funk, backing up the vocals with soothing and sunny layers of funk guitars, soulful flutes, wailing synths and vibrant strings. And there are a few moments where the lyrical content is light. Sumpin New the other big hit here is an up-tempo, party-starting number. E-40, Kam and Coolio proteges the 40 Thevz join in the fun of the semi-serious Exercise Yo Game . And a bevy of West Coast rap stars namely WC and Ras Kass - converge for the explosive album finale, Get Up Get Down .

Gangsta s Paradise is a really enjoyable disc. It won t blow your head away, and Coolio would never enjoy the same kind of success again. But chalk this up as yet another fantastic well, actually, satisfactory - voyage for the dreadlocked rapper. Feel free to make a visit.

TRACK LISTING:

1. That's How It Is
2. Geto Highlites
3. Gangsta's Paradise
4. Too Hot
5. Cruisin'
6. Exercise Yo' Game
7. Sumpin' New
8. Smilin'
9. Fucc Coolio
10. Kinda High, Kinda Drunk
11. For My Sistas
12. Is This Me?
13. A Thing Goin' On
14. Bright as the Sun
15. Recoup This
16. Revolution
17. Get Up Get Down