Here are all the lyrics to Coolio's 'Gangsta’s Paradise' in honour of the late rapper

The rapper Coolio, real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr, who had huge success in the 1990s has died at the age of 59 in Los Angeles his manager has confirmed.

Coolio's long-time manager Jarez Posey confirmed to the Associated Press and other outlets that the star had passed away but at the time of writing no cause of death has been revealed.

The five-time Grammy-nominated artist was best known for his 1995 single 'Gangsta’s Paradise' (also featuring Kylian Marsh) which was a huge smash hit after being featured in the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds. Others may remember him for singing the theme tune to the Kenan and Kel sitcom.

Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter

At times like this we could easily repost the many, many tributes that have been paid to Coolio but why not remember the man for his finest work, one that will likely be played for decades to come. Here are all the lyrics to 'Gangsta's Paradise:'

"As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I take a look at my life and realize there's not much left

'Cause I've been blastin' and laughin' so long, that

Even my mama thinks that my mind is gone

But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it

Me be treated like a punk, you know that's unheard of

You better watch how you're talkin', and where you're walkin'

Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk

I really hate to trip but I gotta loc

As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool

I'm the kinda G the little homies wanna be like

On my knees in the night, sayin' prayers in the streetlight

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation they got me facin'

I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the street

So I gotta be down with the hood team

Too much television watchin' got me chasin' dreams

I'm an educated fool with money on my mind

Got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye

I'm a loc'd out gangsta set trippin' banger

And my homies is down so don't arouse my anger, fool

Death ain't nothin' but a heartbeat away

I'm livin' life, do or die, what can I say

I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24?

The way things is going, I don't know

Tell me why are we, so blind to see

That the ones we hurt, are you and me?

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Power and the money, money and the power

Minute after minute, hour after hour

Everybody's runnin', but half of them ain't lookin'

It's goin' on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'

They say I gotta learn, but nobody's here to teach me

If they can't understand it, how can they reach me

I guess they can't, I guess they won't

I guess they front, that's why I know my life is out of luck, fool

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise

Tell me why are we, so blind to see

That the ones we hurt, are you and me?

Tell me why are we, so blind to see

That the ones we hurt, are you and me?"

RIP Coolio 1963 - 2022

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.