Unveiling of Collaborators and Tracklist for Coolio’s Posthumous Album, ‘Long Live Coolio’

The impending release of Coolio’s posthumous album, featuring guest performances from Treach of Naughty By Nature, J-Dee of Da Lench Mob, and Ras Kass, pays tribute to a project that was never planned to be his final contribution to rap music.

The album, named “Long Live Coolio,” is a grand homage to the Grammy-winning rapper, renowned for his iconic ’90s hits “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage.” The full 11-track list and the contributing artists for this posthumous release were revealed exclusively to The Big Big News on Friday. The album is expected to be out later this year.

“A Star Is Born” is the latest track from the album, brought to life by a collaborative effort involving Treach from Naughty By Nature, MC Shan, and Coolio’s longtime producer, DJ Wino. It debuted on Friday, providing an insightful glimpse into Coolio’s journey to fame. The video accompanying this track was shot in Las Vegas.

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Reflecting on Coolio’s contribution to the track, Treach shared, “Listening to Coolio’s verse, it felt like he never left us.” He further emphasized the importance of keeping the memories of lost friends alive.

In the track “A Star is Born”, Coolio’s verse takes us through his journey – “From Old Man to Boo Daddy to Coolio. At 18, I made my first studio visit, and soon found myself on KDAY radio.”

DJ Wino, confirming that the song was not intended to be posthumous, said, “Coolio tells his story in the second verse.”

Coolio tragically lost his life in September 2022 due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, as reported by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. In March 2023, Coolio’s estate announced that the hip-hop icon had been working on an album in the days preceding his death.

DJ Wino stated that about 75% of the album was already recorded before Coolio’s untimely death, adding, “He left the roadmap for us. It was our responsibility to complete ‘Long Live Coolio,’ and we did exactly that.”

Coolio’s legacy includes winning a Grammy for his solo rap performance in “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a 1995 hit featured on the soundtrack of the movie “Dangerous Minds” starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The song, which sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 “Pastime Paradise,” was a frequent presence on MTV and hit a billion views on YouTube in 2022.

The rapper continued his success with hits such as “Fantastic Voyage” (1994), “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” (1996), and “C U When U Get There” (1997). According to Luminate, his career album sales reached 4.8 million, with 978 million on-demand streams of his songs. He garnered six Grammy nominations in total.

“LONG LIVE COOLIO” TRACK LIST:

1. “Shine On Me”
2. “Got That”
3. “Notice Me” (feat. Ras Kass)
4. “Fast Pace” (feat. Kid Frost)
5. “I’m Wit That BS” (feat. J-Dee from Da Lench Mob)
6. “TAG You It” (feat. Too $hort)
7. “A Star Is Born” (feat. Treach from Naughty By Nature)
8. “Belly Of The Beast” (feat. Cejaz Negraz)
9. “Snitch’N”
10. “Stand Up Beat It Hit It” (feat. Jay Chris)
11. “R Thentic” (feat. Kurupt & Chill)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Coolio’s posthumous album

More about Coolio’s posthumous album

• Coolio’s Discography
• Coolio’s Grammy Wins and Nominations
• Naughty By Nature’s Treach
• DJ Wino’s Production Work
• Report on Coolio’s Death
• Gangsta’s Paradise on YouTube