Coolio was working on several projects, including new music with Irish artist Christy Dignam of the Irish rock band Aslan, prior to his death on Sept. 28, 2022, at the age of 59.
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In July 2022, the late rapper revealed his recent collaboration with Dignam in an interview with an Irish newspaper.
“We’ve just got into it,” said Coolio. “We’re working on a track. We haven’t even started writing any lyrics. The track is being built as we speak. Somewhere within the next four to six weeks, we should have something tangible we could work with.”
Of the project, Coolio added, “It’s probably going to be a banger. I don’t know if it’s going to be dark and deep or if we’re going to go clubby and happy—that remains to be seen. I’m more inclined with being dark and deep and still being a banger.”
The rapper previously worked with Irish hip hop duo Versatile (Casey Walsh and Alex Sheehan), and appeared on their 2019 single “Escape Wagon.” The duo made history as the first Irish rap act to headline 3Arena, and Coolio often compared their hometown of Ringsend, Ireland to his upbringing in southern Los Angeles, calling it the “Compton of Europe” on “Escape Wagon” — Ringsend and Compton / You always knew it was gonna happen / Ringsend, the Compton of Europe.
Coolio said that Dublin, Ireland was like his adopted home away from his hometown of Los Angeles and that he had visited the Irish capital many times since releasing his 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise.”
“On my days off on tour, when I’m in Europe, instead of going back to America for a couple of days, I come to Dublin, and I spend my time here,” said Coolio.
He added, “I walk about. I go to friends of mine. I go to clubs and bars. I talk to the people on the street. I hang out. I meet some nice, nice-looking women. I have a pint. I can pull a proper pint. I can do it with the best of them.”
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