The “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper had big plans before his sudden passing in late September: TMZ reports that the rapper had plans to headline his first-ever Vegas residency this month.
Right before he died, Coolio was with Fan Rebellion, a production company that produces an ongoing Vegas residency show called Boombox!, held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Boombox! helps garner support for old-school hip hop acts from the ’80s and ’90s — and has booked big names like CeeLo Green, Tone Loc, and more. It makes sense why they were in contact with the late rapper.
Fan Rebellion’s Chief Creative Officer, Jimmy Maynes, told TMZ that the plan was to have Coolio headline the show starting at the end of October and running through the second week of November. The gig was for ten days, with one performance per day, five days a week, for ten total appearances.
Maynes also noted that Coolio would’ve been one of a handful of MCs — he’d be the headliner — and Maynes says he would’ve only done three songs when he was up. The tracks considered were “Gangsta’s Paradise,” “1, 2, 3, 4,” and “C U When U Get There.”
Unfortunately, he died before he could enter that chapter of his career. Maynes said they’re now scrapping that late October window and hoping to pick it back up in December with a new lineup and plans to incorporate a Coolio tribute into each show.