# Stevie Wonder/Coolio/Weird Al/Gangster's Paradise **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337 "2010-01-25T06:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/1 "2010-01-25T06:00:03Z")
OK, I found out very recently that the Coolio song Gangster’s Paradise is really a reworking of a Stevie Wonder song, Past Time Paradise. Which is all well and good but remember when Weird Al spoofed it and made Amish Paradise, but Coolio was annoyed because Weird Al didn’t get permission? Why did no one point out that it wasn’t Coolio’s song to begin with? Or did they? I think it would have been great if Stevie Wonder had made some statement to the effect of, “I endorse this parody!” Granted, since it’s parody I don’t think there was any question of a legal issue, but I do think it’s odd that Coolio was so possessive of a song he didn’t even write to begin wit. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/2 "2010-01-25T06:37:56Z")
I don’t know why Coolio feels any special attachment to the song, but I do remember how the annoyance happened. IIRC, the trouble started when Al got permission to do the parody from Coolio’s record label, but not from the artist himself. Coolio was mighty peeved, especially when he was scheduled to appear at an awards show next to Al. Ever since then, Al has made sure to get the artists’ OKs, even if it’s not legally necessary. In an opposite case, James Blunt gave him permission to do a parody of “You’re Beautiful”, which was going to be the lead single on “Straight Outta Lynwood”. Atlantic Records changed their collective mind at the last minute. Result: Al released “You’re Pitiful” as a free download, bringing him zero revenue but lots of free publicity and fan love. (It also left “White and Nerdy” as the lead single, which turned out remarkably well.) I saw Al perform it in concert, and during the number he revealed that he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “ATLANTIC RECORDS SUCKS”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/3 "2010-01-25T07:17:21Z")
Wow, great info! I love Weird Al with the love of a long-time nerd. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/4 "2010-01-25T09:49:49Z")
‘Songs in the Key of Life’, folks. It’s your musical heritage. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/5 "2010-01-25T12:25:46Z")
> [@xnylder](#): > > In an opposite case, James Blunt gave him permission to do a parody of “You’re Beautiful”, which was going to be the lead single on “Straight Outta Lynwood”. Atlantic Records changed their collective mind at the last minute. Result: Al released “You’re Pitiful” as a free download, bringing him zero revenue but lots of free publicity and fan love. (It also left “White and Nerdy” as the lead single, which turned out remarkably well.) I saw Al perform it in concert, and during the number he revealed that he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “ATLANTIC RECORDS SUCKS”. 😛 He also edits the Atlantic Records Wikipedia page to say “YOU SUCK!” in the “White and Nerdy” video. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/6 "2010-01-25T13:27:27Z")
> [@xnylder](#): > > Coolio was mighty peeved, especially when he was scheduled to appear at an awards show next to Al. It must be pointed out, though, that there’s no bad blood between Coolio and Al. They have run into each other at least once, and it was all friendly and amicable. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stevie-wonder-coolio-weird-al-gangsters-paradise/526337/7 "2010-01-25T13:45:42Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > ‘Songs in the Key of Life’, folks. Speaking of which, can anyone confirm or deny my suspicion that “Village Ghetto Land” is a nod to The Kinks?