A posthumous project in honor of Coolio is officially on the way. The album will be titled LONG LIVE COOLIO and the official release date has not yet been announced. Fans will receive the first preview this Friday (March 17) with a single titled “TAG You It” featuring Too $hort. LONG LIVE COOLIO is the first body of work since his 2009 album, From the Bottom 2 the Top, and will also feature his good friend Treach of Naughty By Nature.
According to a statement about the forthcoming offering, “TAG You It” was originally intended for release while Coolio was still alive. The offering will “pay homage to ’90s hip hop… The song is catchy, raunchy, and raw in all of the right ways. Paired with an extravagant video, this song is certain to create controversy and buzz.” The accompanying visual will be a boxing-themed clip that embodies the cool essence of the song’s catchy hook:
“Freeze tag, you it, freeze tag, she’s it, freeze tag, you it never gone be yours ’cause it’s all about the bag/ Still livin’ with your mama no plan to move though, come on, h**, average h**, Obama h**/ She full of drama, bro, find you a real one, funky feel one, one you can trust not have to kill one”
The late rapper was well-known for his irreplaceable hits like “Fantastic Voyage,” “1,2,3,4 (Sumpin’ New),” “C U When U Get There,” and “Gangster’s Paradise,” the last of which was featured on the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. The single also spent three weeks at the top of the Hot 100 chart in 1995. Coolio passed away unexpectedly in September of 2022 of suspected cardiac arrest, and he was 59 years old at the time of his death.