Famed as a rapper, musician, and a devoted parent, Coolio’s family includes a captivating ensemble — introducing Coolio’s children.
Having a successful music career and ten kids depending on him was a challenging fit. How did Coolio do it all?
Who Is Coolio the Rapper?
Artis Leon Ivey Jr., famously known as Coolio, was an American rapper. He was born on August 1, 1963, in Monessen, Pennsylvania, and was raised majorly in Compton following his parents’ divorce when he was just eight. There, he enrolled in some schools and was a regular visitor to his local library as a boy.
In his teenage years, he liked rapping and started practicing his raps. He earned the name Coolio Iglesias, after Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, which he later shortened to Coolio. The young rapper attended Compton Community College and worked side jobs like volunteer firefighting and security at Los Angeles International Airport before becoming a rapper.
Following the considerable decline of Compton in the 1980s, Coolio became addicted to cocaine, which was readily accessible then. However, he quit his drug use after spending some time living with his father in San Jose.
Coolio had a rough childhood. He was once arrested for taking a weapon to school and even spent some time in prison for robbery. The rapper’s first rise to fame was as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle.
However, he achieved mainstream success as a solo artist in the mid-to-late 1990s with his hit albums “It Takes a Thief” (1994), “Gangsta’s Paradise” (1995), and “My Soul” (1997). He was best known for his 1995 Grammy award–winning hit single “Gangsta’s Paradise”, as well as other singles “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” (1996), and “C U When U Get There” (1997).
Following his success, the rapper released albums independently and signed significant deals, such as providing the opening track for the 1996 Nickelodeon television series Kenan & Kel.
On September 28, 2022, Coolio was found unresponsive in his friend’s bathroom and was later pronounced dead. He died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
How Many Baby Mamas Did Coolio Have?
The number of baby mamas the rapper has is yet to be discovered, as he had quite a number. He was married just once in his lifetime to Josefa Salinas, a radio personality. The pair met in 1987, dated for almost a decade, and finally tied the knot in 1996, but the two divorced in 2000. Coolio had a shocking number of children, but only one was born to his ex-wife, Josefa.
This means that nine of his ten kids were born out of wedlock by different women, making it hard to estimate how many he had. Three of these baby mamas were confirmed to be Juanita Randle, Taleya White, and Annabella Bellesi when the trio dragged him to court over spousal support for their kids on three occasions.
Sadly, the “Fantastic Voyage” rapper was not known for his good decisions and lived a very colorful life. He had ten confirmed children but was rumored to have more, which he never claimed. Let’s meet some of them.
Milan Ivey
Several media sources claim that Coolio and his ex-wife, Salinas, had four children together. However, this is false and can be confirmed by Salinas’ Instagram post, which implies otherwise. According to her post, she has just two children: an older daughter from a previous relationship with a pro footballer and Milan, whom she had with the rapper.
Milan has followed in his father’s footsteps and taken up rapping as a profession under the alias “Pharaoh Santana.” According to his Spotify page, he dropped his debut single in 2020. After that, he released his debut album titled PS1 the following year. Milan’s musical career seems to be doing just fine, with thousands of streams and an expanding audience.
Grits Ivey
Grits is another of Coolio’s children who has taken after him but not in the career path. The young adult has had a couple of run-ins with the law, just like his father did at his age. Regrettably, his mischievous actions returned to haunt him as he was arrested.
He subsequently received a prison sentence for participating in a robbery of a Las Vegas apartment alongside a female companion involved in prostitution. When he was 22 years old, authorities found him guilty and sentenced him to 42-120 months in prison.
This was the first time the celebrity child was making headlines since he first appeared on his family’s reality show “Coolio’s Rules.”
Artisha Ivey
Artisha was born on October 3, 1982, by one of the rapper’s baby mamas. However, her father is not the only well-known member of the family. Famous Hollywood producer and director Malieek Straughter is her uncle, and her grandmother, Jackie Slater, is a former American football player.
Growing up as a celebrity child, she often attended red carpets and appeared with her father in several music videos. She made her television debut on the reality show “Coolio’s Rules” in 2008 and appeared in all three seasons.
Since then, Artisha has made several appearances in films and TV shows and amassed a large social media following. She has also done a bit of modeling and launched her beauty and fashion line.
Darius Ivey and Christopher Kal El Ivey Bellesi
Darius and Christoper have different mothers who have one thing in common. They both sued the rapper for child support. Darius’ mum, Taleya White, and Christopher’s mum, Annabella Bellesi, took Coolio to court over non-payment of child support.
Sadly, both women lost their cases, but Coolio started doing right by them afterward. While details remain limited, specific sources suggest that Darius is emerging as a rapper in his own right among Coolio’s children.
We possess scant information about the remaining offspring of Coolio. They have kept their lives private and lack a social media presence. They are Zhaneand Ivey, Brandi Ivey, Jackie Ivey, Kate Ivey, and Shayne Ivey.
Friends, loved ones, and even his children fondly recall Coolio as a remarkable father to his ten kids.