Gangsta’s Paradise Lyrics

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About

Genius Annotation

“Gangsta’s Paradise” was released in August 1995 as the lead single from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack and the song’s success led Coolio to name his second studio album Gangsta’s Paradise, which was released in November 1995. The song was an international multi-platinum hit as it peaked at the top of the pop charts in multiple countries, including the US Billboard Hot 100, where the song spent 12 weeks alternating between the top 2 spots. In 1996, “Gangsta’s Paradise” won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for Record of the Year, while the music video—featuring Michelle Pfieffer in her Dangerous Minds role—won the award for Best Rap Video and Best Video From a Film at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The song interpolates the melody and chorus from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 track “Pastime Paradise.” Wonder initially refused to let Coolio sample his song due to the profanity used in the original version but Coolio cleaned it up and got the sample cleared; however, he relinquished a hefty percentage of the song’s publishing. Coolio and L.V. performed the song live alongside Wonder at the Billboard Awards 1995. “Weird” Al Yankovic famously parodied the song and its music video with his “Amish Paradise,” which Coolio was initially upset about but he changed his stance over time.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” has been consistently ranked as one of the best Hip-Hop songs of the 1990s and all time in numerous publications, including a rank at #38 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop and the UK’s Mojo magazine ranked it at #70 on their list of the 100 Greatest Songs of All Time. The single was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 1995 and #89 on the Hot 100’s 60th anniversary all-time chart.

Rolling Stone magazine produced an oral history piece in 2015 featuring all of the song’s major players to commemorate the 20th anniversary of “Gangsta’s Paradise.”

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Coolio say about "Gangsta's Paradise"?
Genius Answer

Initially, Stevie Wonder denied Coolio’s request to sample “Pastime Paradise” because he didn’t want his song being used in “some gangster song”. Coolio’s wife reached out to Wonder’s brother about the issue, and the two convinced Wonder to take a meeting with Coolio. Wonder finally agreed to clear the sample, but only if certain conditions were met.

His only stipulation was that I had to take the curse words out. I had two places where I had the N-word in it, and two places where it was, like, “Fucked in the ass,” or something like that. And Stevie said that if I’d take that out, he would sign off on it. Unbeknownst to me, the other condition was that he wanted 95 percent of the publishing!

—Coolio, Rolling Stone, August 17, 2015

Credits
Produced By
Phonographic Copyright ℗
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Video Sound Editor
Video Director
Performance Rights
Mixing Engineer
Release Date
August 8, 1995
Gangsta’s Paradise Samples
Songs That Sample Gangsta’s Paradise
History of Rap 3 by Jimmy Fallon (Ft. Justin Timberlake), Flowers by KXNG Crooked (Ft. J.Cymone), Paradise by Slim Thug (Ft. Yung AL), Пей пиво! (Drink Beer!) by Дискотека Авария (Diskoteka Avaria), Condomínio Life by YUNG LIXO (Ft. Launzera), Tour Overture by SET 69, Galaktikk Paradize by KuraxKura, Baby I'm Back V by Pluffaduff, Paradise by Boondox and Bukshot (Ft. Demi Demaree), Celebrity Killer by Sidhu Moose Wala (Ft. Tion Wayne), GraveyardKeeper by Doktorp777, Funeral* by Anuel AA (Ft. KAROL G), Gangsta by Rico Recklezz, Behesht by Gdaal, Sportsmen's Paradise by Roachmg777 (Ft. Sky_scrpr), (Clyde's) Trollsta's Paradise by Christian Weston Chandler, Paradis by OrelSan, Black Bastard by Rukahs The God, Gangsta’s Paradise (Deborah de Luca Remix) by Deborah de Luca, Dyin’ To Get Out by Chazer Wazer (Ft. Big Barry Brown), G Paradise by ARNON (Ft. Jonisa), Artykuł 200 by Awięc, Gangsta's Paradise (Romix) by Roman365, BasketFlies by DJ Cummerbund, Gangstas paradise Remix by Tratat_Raps, Hard Out Here by Stoned Devil, MIGUEL PARAISO (Gangsta's Paradise) by OS MASKARADOS, Russisches Schlafexperiment by VGC (Ft. JATSKi), Bermudadreieck by Mo-Torres (Ft. AF (DEU) & Sickstie), Alibi by Ella Henderson (Ft. Rudimental), 経験値 (4X EXP) by DJmegan23, STAND UP by Busta Rhymes (Ft. JNR CHOI), Decade Of Pop - The 1990s (100 Song Mashup) by DJ Earworm, S.S.S.P. by XVI Religion (Ft. DJ MS & Nitro), O ALQUIMISTA by SPG, Confusion Vol. 4 - A Confusing Return by Ph0ton, This That (Coolio) by VSDiamond, Confusion Vol. 2 by Ph0ton, HARDER BABY by Ph0ton, Deeper by Smug Mang (Ft. Chris Travis), Going Back to Earth / Bad News (Jeez) (Interlude) by Ben Fat L, The Big Bad Boss by MASHUP WEEK, Drillas Paradise by Scenzah & JURI, Palm Demons by Yung Beef, Fuck Shit Up (Working Title) by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, To Com Hemorroida by ​jeej rain, Без права на ошибки (Without right on errors) by D.1.S (Syndikat) & No Flutes by Angel (Ft. Eric Bellinger & Eric Bellinger)
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