Gangsta's Paradise
Gangsta's Paradise is a rap song by Coolio (born Artis Ivey) from the movie Dangerous Minds (starring Michelle Pfeiffer). The song was later released on the album Gangsta's Paradise in 1996. Coolio was awarded with a Grammy for the song/album.
The rap was written to the tune of "Pastime Paradise", a Stevie Wonder song from his album Songs in the Key of Life.
The song begins with a line from Psalm 23: As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but then diverges: I take a look at my life / And realize there's none left. Adding to some of the religious overtones are choral vocals in the background.
Much of the lyrics are very tragic and are meant to be a criticism of the violence and tragedy of the "gangsta" life. The choral lines Tell me why are we, so blind to see / That the one's we hurt, are you and me offer an especially plaintive self-criticism.
The song was extremely popular and heavily played during its release. It was the first rap song to be played on New York City's famous Z100 radio station. After the song's success, Z100 later expanded their playlists to include other hip hop, rap, and R&B music. Soon after, other mainstream popular music stations followed suit, adding Gangsta's Paradise and other hip hop to their lineups.
There are some parodies of the song, including "Amish Paradise" by Weird Al Yankovic. Coolio did not give permission for the parody, which led to disagreements between the two.