The crowd chanted, “Coolio, Coolio, Coolio!” as Artis Leon Ivey, Jr. aka “Coolio” shot up the stairs, jumped onto the stage and got the party started.
He opened with “From the Bottom 2 the Top,” Pigtail braids present and accounted for, atop each side of his green baseball cap. Throughout the show, he stopped and commanded the audience to “Put yo middle fingers up and say, Fuck yeah!”
Showing a sentimental side, he dedicated “C U When U Get There” to the memory of Aliyah, Michael Clarke Duncan, Tupac, and Michael Jackson. Coolio’s sidekick, whom he described as his financial advisor, contributed on vocals and also played the saxophone.
At one point my man even downed a 24-ounce Red Stripe then proceeded to expose his tummy, sharing with the audience that something he ate before the show just wasn’t agreeing with him now. “I’m bout to take an Ex-Lax after this mutha fucker”, he joked!
With the start of “1, 2, 3, 4,” everyone joined in and clapped their hands. Making a slight adjustment to the lyrics which got the crowd hyped even more, Coolio spit, “Ain’t no party like a Minnesota party cause a Minnesota party don’t stop.” And, after a few more songs, the show was closed out “Gangsta’s Paradise” style which Coolio performed effortlessly, pausing only to smoke a blunt in-between verses.
The crowd was turnt up with the fairly short yet fan packed Coolio favorites performed. It was a blast. One thing’s for certain: at the seasoned age of 49, Artis Leon Ivey, Jr. can still put on one hell of a show!
I was granted the honor of sitting down with Coolio after the show for a one-on-one exclusive Tru. Interview. Read on to learn more about the Renaissance Rapper behind the mic.
I was granted the honor of sitting down with Coolio after the show for a one-on-one exclusive Tru. Interview. Read on to learn more about the Renaissance Rapper behind the mic.
THE EXCLUSIVE TRU. Interview between Coolio, and Tru. Reporter, Karen J. Larson
*Warning: This interview contains graphic and explicit language*
TM: You are a man of many talents; You sell beats and books on your website, not to mention have your own show ‘Cooking with Coolio’ in addition to touring. Tell us about some of your other upcoming projects?
Coolio: You know I was married before. I used to collect snow globes. My ‘ex-theif’ stole all them muthafukas. Yeah i said it, ex-theif…
Coolio: You know I was married before. I used to collect snow globes. My ‘ex-theif’ stole all them muthafukas. Yeah i said it, ex-theif…
TM: (laughing)… Okay, but let’s stay focused. What are some of your upcoming projects?
Coolio: My upcoming projects? I’m finna do another record. It’s gonna be close to my last record. I might do two more after this. I’m not sure though, but you know I’m gonna call it ‘Old Man River’.
Coolio: My upcoming projects? I’m finna do another record. It’s gonna be close to my last record. I might do two more after this. I’m not sure though, but you know I’m gonna call it ‘Old Man River’.
TM: Why ‘Old Man River’?
Coolio: Coz I’m an old man swimming in a river of muthafuck’in sharks. Muthafuckas life raft made of plastic straws and muthafuck’in toothpicks and I’m just tryna float.
Coolio: Coz I’m an old man swimming in a river of muthafuck’in sharks. Muthafuckas life raft made of plastic straws and muthafuck’in toothpicks and I’m just tryna float.
TM: In your opinion, how has hip hop changed since you started in the game?
Coolio: Things have changed drastically in hip hop. It’s no longer considered important to be intelligent or knowledgeable. You know, it’s all about how it started. About how much shit you can talk and how much shit you can pretend to be, how much shit you can pretend to have. And it’s okay coz I did that too. I’ve had my moments.
Coolio: Things have changed drastically in hip hop. It’s no longer considered important to be intelligent or knowledgeable. You know, it’s all about how it started. About how much shit you can talk and how much shit you can pretend to be, how much shit you can pretend to have. And it’s okay coz I did that too. I’ve had my moments.
TM: We hear that you’re headed off to Austrailia in a couple of weeks. What is your favorite country to perform in, and why?
Coolio: South Africa. Coz muthafuckas be coming to the show with no shoes on and shit. You go to the grocery store and you see muthafuck’in not dimes, not 12′s, you see like 15′s grocery shopping and they don’t be having on no shoes and shit. They’ve seen tv like 2 times ! Places like Italy where you go to the club and you see the baddest bitch, you be like “Damn, she fine as a muthafucka!” Then when the club over with, she jump on the back of a niggas bike with a bike rack and that nigga ride off and shit, pedal off and shit. You never see that shit happen in Los Angeles. You never see that shit happen in Vegas. You never see that shit happen in Minnesota. It’s too cold. Taxi? And not saying that that makes them any better. But you know sometimes a niggas ride up on a bike in some deck shoes with no socks on and some cut-off shorts and they could have like 180 million in the bank. I don’t know what muthafuckas be doing! I like the simple things and shit. I don’t really need too much. I like having the opportunity and chance to have a lot but on a regular day I don’t expect too much. On a regular day, I try to be normal and regular as possible.
Coolio: South Africa. Coz muthafuckas be coming to the show with no shoes on and shit. You go to the grocery store and you see muthafuck’in not dimes, not 12′s, you see like 15′s grocery shopping and they don’t be having on no shoes and shit. They’ve seen tv like 2 times ! Places like Italy where you go to the club and you see the baddest bitch, you be like “Damn, she fine as a muthafucka!” Then when the club over with, she jump on the back of a niggas bike with a bike rack and that nigga ride off and shit, pedal off and shit. You never see that shit happen in Los Angeles. You never see that shit happen in Vegas. You never see that shit happen in Minnesota. It’s too cold. Taxi? And not saying that that makes them any better. But you know sometimes a niggas ride up on a bike in some deck shoes with no socks on and some cut-off shorts and they could have like 180 million in the bank. I don’t know what muthafuckas be doing! I like the simple things and shit. I don’t really need too much. I like having the opportunity and chance to have a lot but on a regular day I don’t expect too much. On a regular day, I try to be normal and regular as possible.
TM: It seems that big name celebs like yourself are always a ‘target’ for the tabloids. A couple months back, TMZ put you on blast for some alleged baby mama drama and you didn’t get to make a statement on your own behalf. Would you care to make one now?
Coolio: My baby mama was living downstairs in another room with my son, my nigga. Coz I want to be around my son. She wasn’t paying no muthafuck’in rent, paying no bills, she didn’t have to cook, she didn’t have to clean up, she didn’t have to do shit but be there and take care of my son, my nigga.
Coolio: My baby mama was living downstairs in another room with my son, my nigga. Coz I want to be around my son. She wasn’t paying no muthafuck’in rent, paying no bills, she didn’t have to cook, she didn’t have to clean up, she didn’t have to do shit but be there and take care of my son, my nigga.
I brought a girl over (pausing)…. more than once, and this particular time she happened to be up, be awake. It’s kinda like my girl and shit and she took offense to that like we fuck’in. And that’s real talk.
Now I ain’t saying after me and some of my baby mamas broke up that I didn’t go back and fuck some of ‘em. But this particular time, sometimes you got a crazy bitch around and you can’t do nothing. Like ‘Hello, how you doing?’ You aiight? Okay I’ll be back.’ So that’s pretty much what our relationship was. That and dealing with my son. And she couldn’t accept that.
Now I ain’t saying after me and some of my baby mamas broke up that I didn’t go back and fuck some of ‘em. But this particular time, sometimes you got a crazy bitch around and you can’t do nothing. Like ‘Hello, how you doing?’ You aiight? Okay I’ll be back.’ So that’s pretty much what our relationship was. That and dealing with my son. And she couldn’t accept that.
She attacked me, my nigga! I still didn’t hit her!! I mean, c’mon I can fight! My shit went up instantly and she ran into that muthafucka. Seriously, real talk. It was a bunch of people there. It was a woman there that got her ass whooped for many years by nigga. So ain’t no muthafuck’in way she gon lie and say if I put my hands on her, she ain’t the type of person who would lie about that shit. And another thing: My mama got her ass whooped for many years. I used to be in my room crying and shit while my stepdaddy whooped my mama’s ass. I ain’t no woman beater. I never will be.
C’mon, I’m almost 50. I got no domestic violence on my record. And I got 4 baby mamas, 25 bitches, thousands of hoes that I’ve had sex with and spent time with and they ain’t never said that I put my hands on them. I’m the type of nigga that I hate woman beaters. I don’t like that type of shit. I think niggas that hit women are cowards. There you go, So I said it, and so it shall be written! Real talk. I ain’t never hit a woman in anger in my life. I will protect myself but the most I’ve ever done is grabbed a woman and like held her down. That ain’t my style. I’ll leave. I got a car. When I was broke I had a car. Keep me some wheels. Rubber wheels beat rubber heels any day. Let me tell you another thing; TMZ gave that bitch like some money nigga, I know, shit happens! Ain’t nothing I can do about it. I gotta deal with it. I’ll tell you what I won’t do though.
TM: What’s that?
Coolio: Be like the rest of them 60 niggas we seen in Court waiving their muthafuck’in rights. Talking bout ‘Yeah, I’ll take my first domestic violence even though I didn’t do nothing. Yeah I just want this to be over. I don’t wanna go to court.’ Fuck that!
Coolio: Be like the rest of them 60 niggas we seen in Court waiving their muthafuck’in rights. Talking bout ‘Yeah, I’ll take my first domestic violence even though I didn’t do nothing. Yeah I just want this to be over. I don’t wanna go to court.’ Fuck that!
TM: So you’re not gonna plead guilty to something you didn’t do?
Coolio: No, I’ll be my own lawyer, shit. I’ll be like ‘Your Honor, That nigga didn’t do it.” I’m gonna plead not guilty. And I’m gonna beat that shit, nigga. Or I’m gonna go to jail for nothing. Ain’t no muthafuck’in way I’m gonna say I did it! I ain’t taking no deal. None of that shit!! I mean, unless they start talking about you gonna get 10 years and some shit. If that happen, I’m gonna tell ‘em just arrest me, shit. Actually the outcome, I think they gonna throw it out. Because there was 4 people there. They made a statement that said all I did was defend myself. I never threw a punch. Hold on…then, some shit about I tried to run her over, right. How you gonna try to run somebody over?! If I tried to run somebody over, I’m gonna run they muthafuck’in ass over. She grabbed the back of my car! Something wrong with her ass!! She didn’t let go. Now if something weighs 2 tons and you holding onto it and it’s moving, what’s gonna happen? It’s gonna pull your dumbass to the ground! She used to be cool when I was fuckin her. But now, shit! That’s fucked up. I really feel bad about that. My feelings hurt, my nigga. Coz there’s hella people that believe I did that shit, my nigga. I pride myself on having hella more restraint and hella more control over my emotions than that (coolio starting to tear up). You getting all personal and shit…
Coolio: No, I’ll be my own lawyer, shit. I’ll be like ‘Your Honor, That nigga didn’t do it.” I’m gonna plead not guilty. And I’m gonna beat that shit, nigga. Or I’m gonna go to jail for nothing. Ain’t no muthafuck’in way I’m gonna say I did it! I ain’t taking no deal. None of that shit!! I mean, unless they start talking about you gonna get 10 years and some shit. If that happen, I’m gonna tell ‘em just arrest me, shit. Actually the outcome, I think they gonna throw it out. Because there was 4 people there. They made a statement that said all I did was defend myself. I never threw a punch. Hold on…then, some shit about I tried to run her over, right. How you gonna try to run somebody over?! If I tried to run somebody over, I’m gonna run they muthafuck’in ass over. She grabbed the back of my car! Something wrong with her ass!! She didn’t let go. Now if something weighs 2 tons and you holding onto it and it’s moving, what’s gonna happen? It’s gonna pull your dumbass to the ground! She used to be cool when I was fuckin her. But now, shit! That’s fucked up. I really feel bad about that. My feelings hurt, my nigga. Coz there’s hella people that believe I did that shit, my nigga. I pride myself on having hella more restraint and hella more control over my emotions than that (coolio starting to tear up). You getting all personal and shit…
TM: I’m glad we got YOUR side of the story. I know it’s been a long night so just a couple more questions for you. A lot of fans are curious whether you wrote Gangsta’s Paradise for yourself or for the Dangerous Minds soundtrack?
Coolio: I didn’t know nothing about Dangerous Minds. On some real shit, I never heard Pastime Paradise before that, either. I’m a Stevie Wonder fan. My first record I ever bought was Superwoman. I never heard Pastime Paradise. I’ll be honest. I didn’t even write Gangsta’s Paradise.
Coolio: I didn’t know nothing about Dangerous Minds. On some real shit, I never heard Pastime Paradise before that, either. I’m a Stevie Wonder fan. My first record I ever bought was Superwoman. I never heard Pastime Paradise. I’ll be honest. I didn’t even write Gangsta’s Paradise.
TM: Who wrote it?
Coolio: Gangsta’s Paradise wrote me!
Coolio: Gangsta’s Paradise wrote me!
TM:(laughing) Okay. Last question: What advice do you have for young aspiring rappers looking to get into the game?
Coolio: Real talk. My advice to anybody that rap. Save your money. Make you some money. Do something to get a lot of money. Hook up with a few muthafuckas and pull your money together.
Coolio: Real talk. My advice to anybody that rap. Save your money. Make you some money. Do something to get a lot of money. Hook up with a few muthafuckas and pull your money together.
Keep your shit your own. Keep your shit independent. If you keep your shit independent, you can be like Wiz Khalifa. You can be like Tech N9ne. You could be like muthafuck’in E-40.
Stay independent. Make them deal with you. Don’t make yourself deal with them. Look, Tech N9ne they ain’t got no commercials. You ain’t never really seen a niggas videos on MTV. Niggas ain’t did no videos with Jay-Z. Dre didn’t do none of his beats. Niggas worth like 90 million though. I’m so proud of that nigga.
I love to see niggas doing good. Sometimes though, and I ain’t no hater but when niggas can’t rap and they ain’t shit, and they don’t deserve shit, nigga I’ll say it. I don’t give a fuck… Gucci Mane. I’m just say’in, some muthafuckas weren’t supposed to rap. Them niggas supposed to go to school.
TM: Can I get you to do one more thing for me?
Coolio: Wait, hold on. Hold on. (gets up and turns backside toward bathroom door) Listen, Listen, Listen…
Coolio: Wait, hold on. Hold on. (gets up and turns backside toward bathroom door) Listen, Listen, Listen…
TM: (laughing) Now that was a silent but deadly one!
Coolio: If I had stayed right here, it would’ve sounded like uhh Chris Brown was dancing up in this muthafucka!
Coolio: If I had stayed right here, it would’ve sounded like uhh Chris Brown was dancing up in this muthafucka!
TM: LOL. Can I get you to give a shout out to Tru. Magazine?
Coolio: Yo what’s up? This is Coolio with the flow. Thank you Tru. Magazine for being TRU! Next time send someone a lil younger with less respect for themselves. So maybe they’ll take their shirt off and show me they titties! Naw, I’m just fuckin with you. LOL. I’m gonna be a comedian one day. I can’t rap forever, my nigga. My stomach keep being bloated like dis on stage, I’m fuck’in gonna have to quit.
Coolio: Yo what’s up? This is Coolio with the flow. Thank you Tru. Magazine for being TRU! Next time send someone a lil younger with less respect for themselves. So maybe they’ll take their shirt off and show me they titties! Naw, I’m just fuckin with you. LOL. I’m gonna be a comedian one day. I can’t rap forever, my nigga. My stomach keep being bloated like dis on stage, I’m fuck’in gonna have to quit.
TM:(laughing). Thank you for your time. It was a pleasure talking with you. And that’s a rap!
Keep up with Coolio and get all the latest deets on his upcoming album releases, current and future projects, and updates on his tummy bloat. Follow him on Twitter @coolio and check out his website at coolioworld.com. And don’t forget to pick up a copy of his highly acclaimed cookbook ‘Cook’in With Coolio’ (5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price)!
Keep up with Coolio and get all the latest deets on his upcoming album releases, current and future projects, and updates on his tummy bloat. Follow him on Twitter @coolio and check out his website at coolioworld.com. And don’t forget to pick up a copy of his highly acclaimed cookbook ‘Cook’in With Coolio’ (5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price)!
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