While uncredited sampling of original works is generally seen as stealing, collaborative and credited sampling can produce art that takes the original work and builds something magnificent around and through it. Such is the case with Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise.
If you knew Stevie Wonder's classic 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life, you likely knew the deep track entitled "Pastime Paradise." And, if you did, you may have said to yourself, "hey," almost two decades later, when Coolio released "Gangsta's Paradise." But, Stevie had given him his blessing (and took a big chunk of the royalties) to make this a true collaboration that was put on display at the 1995 Billboard Music Awards for the world to see.
We sadly lost Coolio earlier this week and, on this Music Friday, want to go past the mega-hit he said was both a blessing and a course. We'll miss the lyricism of tracks like "The Winner" and "Too Hot (sampling Kool and the Gang) And, especially "C U When U Get There."
Coolio helped rap crossover to an audience that had tried to resist. They couldn't when they heard "Gangsta's Paradise."
RIP.
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