Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” returns to the charts 30 years after its release, debuting at No. 7 on the Official Vinyl Singles chart. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – JANUARY 17: Rapper Coolio performs live on stage at Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands on 17th January 1996. (photo by Frans Schellekens/Redferns)
Redferns
Rapper Coolio charted multiple hits throughout his career, though one is remembered as the most successful of the bunch. “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which also credited musician L.V., was a No. 1 all around the planet back in the mid-’90s, and changed both Coolio’s life and the sound of successful hip-hop for a time.
Three decades after its initial release, “Gangsta’s Paradise” earns Coolio a posthumous win on several charts in the United Kingdom and even brings the hip-hop musician to one tally for the very first time.
Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise”
“Gangsta’s Paradise” was recently released on a seven-inch vinyl to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary. The track was initially shared in August 1995 as a tune from his album of the same name. To honor his legacy and the immense continued popularity of the cut, the vinyl was recently offered for sale on September 5 and it has become a bestseller in the U.K.
Coolio’s Debut Hit
“Gangsta’s Paradise” debuts at No. 7 on the Official Vinyl Singles chart this week. The cut becomes Coolio’s first top 10 and initial career placement on the list, and it adds to his legacy three years after his death.
“Gangsta’s Paradise” Debuts on Multiple Charts
Coolio also returns to the Official Physical Singles tally with his smash. That list includes sales of tracks on vinyl, but also CD and cassette, which were much more popular during his initial heyday.
“Gangsta’s Paradise” opens at No. 8 on the ranking. A different take on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which the Official Charts Company credits separately from this latest version, hit No. 1 in 1995 and spent 20 weeks on the Official Physical Singles chart, including two leading the charge.
Five Top 10s Throughout Coolio’s Career
Coolio has now collected five top 10s on the Official Physical Singles list, two of which are “Gangsta’s Paradise.” In addition to that composition, “See You When You Get There” featuring 40 Thevz peaked at No. 3, “Hit ’Em High (The Monstars’ Anthem),” which names Coolio as well as B-Real and Busta Rhymes, peaked at No. 8, and “Too Hot” stalled at No. 9.
Coolio’s Former No. 1
Back in the mid-’90s, “Gangsta’s Paradise” hit No. 1 on the Official Singles chart, the list of the most-consumed songs throughout the country. In the years since, it has been certified five-times platinum in the U.K. alone for moving several million equivalent copies.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/09/16/gangstas-paradise-debuts-30-years-after-it-was-first-unleashed/
