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NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > COOLIO STILL ALIVE AND PERFORMING
COOLIO STILL ALIVE AND PERFORMING
September 3 2009
Denver, CO – There are few musical artists that enjoyed the level of popularity that Coolio enjoyed during his heyday. With millions of albums sold and multiple platinum records the hip-hopper with the funny hair was as big as you could get for a few 
years. Hits such as ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ and ‘Fantastic Voyage’ made Coolio a massive worldwide star, put millions in his bank account, and ensured that a generation of music lovers would remember his name forever.
The music industry, though, is nothing if not fickle. The massive success that Coolio enjoyed was short lived and by 1997’s ‘My Soul’ his career was on the decline. That album would prove to be the last time the artist would appear on the pop charts and the last time he would release a record on a major label. Subsequent releases have gone largely unnoticed and a whole new generation has grown up not knowing the name that so dominated pop culture for that short period. Despite that lack of success it has recently been revealed that Coolio is indeed still alive and still performing. A less than impressive performance in a small club in Longmont, Colorado proved once and for all that Coolio had indeed not passed into the ether and was still capable of getting on stage and grasping a microphone.
“I can’t say that it’s the Coolio of old. I mean he performed all of his hits and it definitely reminded me of those days but it really just wasn’t the same thing. I saw him perform in ’95 and that was something else but this, well it was good to see that he was still alive,” said Tom Chambers, a Longmont resident. “When I first heard about the show I honestly thought that it would be an impersonator. I mean I seriously though he had died or like moved to Zimbabwe or something but no it was him. He got up on the stage and walked around just like a regular person. The way he gripped the microphone, well it was kind of heart warming to know that he still is alive.”
The boisterous crowd of 150 people was treated to an assortment of classics and much to their surprise new songs from the hip-hopper. The show was punctuated with odd displays such as pretending to be shot and much of his lyrics were difficult to hear. Concert officials assured us that Coolio indeed was there of his own free will and no implements were used to keep him upright and moving on stage.
“Sustained popularity is often a difficult thing to acquire. Some people like Bob Hope and George Burns remained popular more or less until their deaths at least amongst a certain population. I don’t think anyone believed that Coolio would have remained popular as long as they did but I foreseen him totally dropping off the map like he has,” said Scrape TV Music analyst Dylan Chambers. “The good news is that he is still alive, I suppose. He’s had a tough go of it for the last decade or so and it’s very satisfying to see that he is still breathing and speaking. It gives one a kind of faith in humanity.”
Coolio was charged with drug possession and battery earlier this year after crack cocaine was discovered in his luggage. He had been travelling to Australia for a performance at the time. It’s now clear if Australians knew he was still alive or if they too had been expecting an impersonator.
“The fact that he was able to carry himself to the venue, climb up on stage, and 
actually perform in some manner proves without a doubt that he is indeed still alive. From what the concert goers have said there was no ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ kind of thing going on so that more or less ensures that he was doing this on his own steam, confirming that he is indeed not dead,” continued Temple. “Of course that doesn’t ensure that he won’t be dead sometime soon. I guess though as long as people continue to listen to his music he will always be alive in some way. Music has a way of staying in people’s hearts long after the original artist has passed away.”
We attempted to contact representatives for Coolio but he apparently does not have any. Mortuaries in the Denver area have been put on alert with word that the artist will return to the area in the near future.
Samantha Dryden, Entertainment Correspondent
NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > COOLIO STILL ALIVE AND PERFORMING
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