Gangsta's Paradise

This article is about the Coolio song. For the album, see Gangsta's Paradise (album).
"Gangstas Paradise" redirects here. For the Extreme Championship Wrestling event, see ECW Gangstas Paradise.
"Gangsta's Paradise"
Single by Coolio featuring L.V.
from the album Gangsta's Paradise, I Am L.V. and Dangerous Minds soundtrack
Released August 8, 1995
Format CD single, cassette, 12" single
Recorded 1994
Genre West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, g-funk
Length 4:00
Label Tommy Boy
Writer(s) Stevie Wonder, Coolio, Doug Rasheed, Larry Sanders
Producer(s) Doug Rasheed
Certification 3x Platinum (RIAA)
Coolio singles chronology
"Mama I'm in Love wit a Gangsta"
(1994)		 "Gangsta's Paradise"
(1995)		 "Too Hot"
(1995)
Music sample
Coolio feat. L.V – "Gangsta's Paradise"

"Gangsta's Paradise" is a song by American rapper Coolio, featuring singer L.V.. The song was released on Coolio's album Gangsta's Paradise, as well as the Dangerous Minds soundtrack in 1995. It samples the chorus and music of Stevie Wonder's 1976 song "Pastime Paradise".

The song was listed at number 69 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of All-Time[1] and number one biggest selling single of 1995 on U.S. Billboard.[2] In 2008, it was ranked number 38 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.[3] Coolio was awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, two MTV Video Music Award's for Best Rap Video and for Best Video from a Film and a Billboard Music Award for the song/album. The song was voted as the best single of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.

The song has sold over 5 million copies in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Croatia alone,[4][5][6] and at least 5.7 million worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. Coolio has performed this song live at the 1995 Billboard Music Awards with L.V. and Wonder, at the 1996 Grammy Awards with L.V., and also with Dutch singer Trijntje Oosterhuis.

Background and writing

The music is a reworking of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise", a song from his album Songs in the Key of Life. "Gangsta's Paradise" uses the same melody, but a different orchestration of the same music. Coolio's main contribution to the song was in changing the original's attack on living in the past or future (and not dealing with the pressing issues of the present) to the story of a young African-American "gangsta", regretting the life he has chosen.

The song begins with a line from Psalm 23:4 from the Bible: "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death", but then diverges with: "I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left." Adding to some of the religious overtones are choral vocals in the background.[7]

"Gangsta's Paradise" is one of the few Coolio tracks that does not feature profanity. According to Coolio, the lyrics initially did feature swearing, but Wonder did not approve of it: "I had a few vulgarities...and he wasn't with that. So I changed it. Once he heard it, he thought it was incredible."[8]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Antoine Fuqua of Propaganda Films, and featured Michelle Pfeiffer reprising her earlier role in Dangerous Minds.

When Coolio won the Best Rap Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1996, he said in a press conference that Bone Thugs-n-Harmony deserved the award for "Tha Crossroads".

Chart performance

The single reached number one in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand, making it Coolio's most successful single. Following Coolio's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother 6, it re-entered the UK singles chart peaking at #31.

In the United States, the single spent twelve weeks in the top two of the Billboard Hot 100, of which three were spent at #1 and nine at #2, putting "Gangsta's Paradise" in joint fourth place for the most weeks spent at #2 by a single in the chart's history.

Parodies and covers

There are several parodies of the song, including "Amish Paradise" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, which was released the following year, reaching number 53 on the U.S. chart. Coolio claimed that he did not give permission for the parody, which led to disagreements between the two. Yankovic claimed that he had been told Coolio had given the go-ahead through his record label, and apologized. Because of this incident, Yankovic now only does parodies by artists that he has spoken with directly, rather than through intermediaries. Photos from the XM Satellite Radio booth at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show suggest Yankovic and Coolio may have made amends.[9]

L.V. released a solo version of the single in 1996 on his debut album, I Am L.V. This version did not feature Coolio, and featured additional lyrics written by L.V. himself, rap lyrics written by Scarface and Dani Blooms.

American post-hardcore band In Fear And Faith covered the song in 2008. Swedish boy band E.M.D. covered the song on their 2010 album "Rewind". American singer-songwriter Kina Grannis has covered the song in concert. Richard Cheese covered the song on his 2010 album "Lavapalooza" (as "Johny Aloha"). New Zealand band Like a Storm covered the song for their 2012 album, "Chaos Theory". American band Falling in Reverse covered the song on the album Punk Goes 90's 2. American industrial band Battery covered the song on their 1996 album, "Distance".

Kris Allen, winner of the eighth season of American Idol, has also performed an acoustic cover in concert.

Sales records and awards

Billboard

  • Billboard Year-End Chart-Toppers 1995
    • Top Hot 100 Single number one
    • Top Hot 100 Single Sales number one (2.5 million copies) (2x platinum)

Grammy Awards

  • Best Rap Solo Performance
  • Record of the Year (nominated)

MTV

Track listings

CD single
No. Title Length
1. "Gangsta's Paradise"   4:00
2. "Gangsta's Paradise" (instrumental) 3:49
CD single bonus tracks
No. Title Length
1. "Gangsta's Paradise"   4:02
2. "Fantastic Voyage" (original version) 4:05
3. "Mama I'm In Love Wit A Gangsta" (clean radio mix) 4:09
4. "Gangsta's Paradise" (instrumental) 3:50
CD maxi
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Gangsta's Paradise"    4:00
2. "Gangsta's Paradise" (instrumental)  3:49
3. "Fantastic Voyage" (album version)Coolio 4:04

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1995/96) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] 29
Denmark (IFPI)[15] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 1
France (SNEP)[17] 1
Germany (Media Control Charts)[18] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 1
Italy (FIMI)[20] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[23] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[24] 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[28] 1
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[28] 2
US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[28] 2
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[28] 17

Year-end charts

Chart (1995) Position
Australian Singles Chart[29] 1
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[30] 4
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[31] 6
Canada Dance (RPM)[32] 45
Dutch Top 40[33] 23
French Singles Chart[34] 7
UK Singles Chart 2
US Billboard Hot 100[35] 1
Chart (1996) Position
Austrian Singles Chart[36] 6
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[37] 16
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[38] 8
Swiss Singles Chart[39] 15
US Billboard Hot 100 33

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 13

Chart successions

Order of precedence
Preceded by
"You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson		 Billboard Hot 100 number one single
September 9, 1995 – September 23, 1995 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Fantasy" by Mariah Carey
Preceded by
"A Kind of Christmas Card" by Morten Harket		 Norwegian VG-Lista number one single
42/1995 – 2/1996 (14 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Jesus to a Child" by George Michael
Preceded by
"Fairground" by Simply Red		 United Kingdom Number 1 single
October 28, 1995 – November 4, 1995 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"I Believe"/"Up on the Roof" by Robson & Jerome
Preceded by
"Stayin' Alive" by N-Trance feat. Ricardo Da Force		 Australian ARIA number one single
October 22, 1995 – January 14, 1996 (11 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Jesus to a Child" by George Michael
Preceded by
"Fantasy" by Mariah Carey
"One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men		 New Zealand RIANZ number one single
October 29, 1995 – December 17, 1995 (8 weeks)
January 14, 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
Preceded by
"Lucky Love" by Ace of Base		 Finnish number one single
44/1995 – 1/1996 (9 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Jesus to a Child" by George Michael
Preceded by
"Het is een nacht... (Levensecht)" by Guus Meeuwis & Vagant		 Dutch Top 40 number one single
November 4, 1995 – December 9, 1995 (6 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Ademnood" by Linda, Roos & Jessica
Preceded by
"Waterfalls" by TLC
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson		 Swiss number one single
November 5, 1995 – December 3, 1995 (5 weeks)
December 17, 1995 (1 week)
January 21, 1996 – February 11, 1996 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
"Children" by Robert Miles
Preceded by
"Boombastic" by Shaggy
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson		 Eurochart Hot 100 Swiss number one single
November 11, 1995 – January 13, 1995 (10 weeks)
January 27, 1995 - February 17, 1995 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"Het is een nacht... (Levensecht)" by Guus Meeuwis & Vagant
"Ik ben een vent" by Jimmy B		 Belgian (Flanders) number one single
December 2, 1995 (1 week)
December 16, 1995 - December 30, 1995 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Ik ben een vent" by Jimmy B
"Knockin'" by Double Vision
Preceded by
"Je sais pas" by Céline Dion
"Dieu m'a donné la foi" by Ophélie Winter		 French SNEP number one single
December 2, 1995 – February 17, 1996 (12 weeks)
March 2, 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Dieu m'a donné la foi" by Ophélie Winter
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson		 Belgian (Wallonia) number one single
December 2, 1995 – March 2, 1996 (14 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"Knockin'" by Double Vision		 Austrian number one single
December 17, 1995 – February 11, 1996 (8 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"The Sign" by Ace of Base		 Billboard Hot 100 Number one single of the year
1995 		Succeeded by
"Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" by Los Del Rio

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[41] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[42] Platinum 50,000x
Germany (BVMI)[43] 2× Platinum 1,000,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[44] Platinum 75,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[45] 4× Platinum 40,000*
Sweden (GLF)[46] Gold 25,000x
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[47] 2× Platinum 100,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] 2× Platinum 1,450,000[5]
United States (RIAA)[49] 3× Platinum 3,000,000[50]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Billboard.com – Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time
  2. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1995/Top 100 Songs of 1995". musicoutfitters.com.
  3. ↑ "The 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs Ever - VH1 Blog Reality TV News and Gossip". VH1 Blog Reality TV News and Gossip.
  4. ↑ "Gangsta's Paradise" certifications RIAA – Gold and Platinum Searchable Database
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lane, Daniel (27 June 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. To access, user must enter song title under Titel, select Singles under Formate and click SUCHEN.
  7. ↑ "Adventures in Missing the Point: ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’". RETUNED.
  8. ↑ "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard.
  9. ↑ Weird and COOLIO?!?!? » Yank Blog
  10. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 62, No. 13, October 30, 1995". RPM. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  15. ↑ Billboard January 20, 1996. Billboard. 1996-01-20. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  16. ↑ "Coolio: Gangsta's Paradise" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  17. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in French). Les classement single.
  18. ↑ "Chartverfulgong > Coolio > Gangsta's Paradise – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  19. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved February 21, 2008)
  20. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". Top Digital Download.
  21. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Coolio search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  22. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". Top 40 Singles.
  23. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". VG-lista.
  24. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 1996). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  25. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". Singles Top 60.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". Swiss Singles Chart.
  27. ↑ "Gangsta's Paradise", UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved August 4, 2008)
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved August 4, 2008)
  29. ↑ 1995 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  30. ↑ 1995 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  31. ↑ 1995 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  32. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  33. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1995" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  34. ↑ 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  35. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1995". Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  36. ↑ 1996 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  37. ↑ 1996 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  38. ↑ 1996 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  39. ↑ 1996 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
  40. ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  41. ↑ "Accreditation Awards". Australian Fun Countdowns. 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  42. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Coolio in the field Interpret. Enter Gangsta's Paradise in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  43. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Coolio; 'Gangsta's Paradise')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  44. ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
  45. ↑ "Norwegian single certifications – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  46. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  47. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Coolio; 'Gangsta's Paradise')". Hung Medien.
  48. ↑ "British single certifications – Coolio ft LV – Gangsta's Paradise". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 April 2012. Enter Gangsta's Paradise in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  49. ↑ "American single certifications – Coolio – Gangsta's Paradise". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  50. ↑ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (November 9, 1996). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard (BPI Communications Inc.) 108 (45): 83. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 26, 2015.

External links