Grammy-winning rapper Coolio was charged Tuesday with possession of cocaine and a smoking device, and battery against an airport screener who allegedly found the illegal drugs in his luggage, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
Coolio — whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr. — was arrested Friday while attempting to board a flight at Los Angeles International Airport, the office said in a written statement. “At one point, Ivey allegedly grabbed a screener’s arm to prevent the search,” the statement said. Coolio, 45, was freed on bail and ordered to appear in court for arraignment April 3, it said. He is best known for his 1995 hip-hop hit “Gangsta’s Paradise.” Efforts to reach his publicist were unsuccessful.
