Following the late rapper Coolio’s passing last month, the classic 1995 song “Gangsta’s Paradise” has returned to the charts for the first time in more than 25 years.
The multi-Platinum song has returned to Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs list as well as its Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On the former list, it is now at Number 16, while on the latter, it is even higher up at Number 11. The song is also presently ranked at Number 45 on Billboard’s Global 200, a chart that measures the global popularity of singles.
The song has also returned to the charts outside of the US; in the UK, it peaked at number 55 on the Singles Chart and at number nine on the Hip-Hop/R&B chart. It also reentered the Top 100, charting in nations including Greece (No. 22), Belgium (No. 50), the Czech Republic (No. 56), Lithuania (No. 62), and Poland (No. 100). (Number 65).
With the exception of the UK charts, where it resurfaced in 2009 following Coolio’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, this is the first time “Gangsta’s Paradise” has been on most of these charts since 1996.
The song went on to become one of the most popular songs of all time after its 1995 release. It peaked at the top of the charts in 21 nations, including Australia, where it would maintain the top spot for 14 weeks, setting a record that was kept there for more than 20 years. 26 Platinum certifications were later awarded to the song, including four in the UK and three in the US.
The popularity of “Gangsta’s Paradise” has increased recently along with other songs from the late rapper’s discography. In the US alone, Coolio’s tracks have received 19.6 million streams since he passed away, an increase of 264.3% overall.