: Stevie Wonder initially refused to clear the sample because he didn't want his music associated with profanity. Coolio had to rewrite the lyrics to contain no curse words to get Wonder's final approval.
Experience the evolution of this anthem, from the original masterpiece to the most popular fan-made legend remixes: : Stevie Wonder initially refused to clear the
: It was the first rap song to ever be the #1 Billboard song of the year (1995) and won Coolio a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. : The verses used for 2Pac , Eazy-E
: The verses used for 2Pac , Eazy-E , and others are usually stripped from their own famous tracks (acapellas) and synced to the "Gangsta's Paradise" tempo. The Original "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995) The authentic version has its own incredible history: The track featuring , L
: It is built on a sample of Stevie Wonder 's 1976 song "Pastime Paradise".
: The song was the lead single for the movie Dangerous Minds (1995), and the famous music video features actress Michelle Pfeiffer .
The track featuring , L.V. , 2Pac , Eazy-E , Ice Cube , and Snoop Dogg is a fan-made mashup , not an official studio release. While these legendary West Coast artists are often grouped together in "posse cut" remixes on platforms like YouTube and SoundCloud, the original "Gangsta's Paradise" only officially featured L.V. . The Story Behind the Mashups