The haunting chorus is performed by R&B singer L.V. (Large Variety), whose soulful delivery provided a cinematic contrast to Coolio’s gritty verses.
It was the #1 selling single of 1995 on the U.S. Billboard charts and has sold over 5 million copies in the U.S., UK, and Germany. Gangstas Paradise Coolio
The song is built around the orchestral, minor-key backbone of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise". The haunting chorus is performed by R&B singer L