Rapper Coolio and his crew were found with a stolen gun at LAX. Coolio had passed through the security checkpoint and boarded his flight, while his security guard was detained by TSA when a bag was discovered with a loaded gun inside.
Coolio was removed from the flight. It was determined other items in the confiscated bag were his, and though his security guard first claimed the Compton-born star had nothing to do with it, he fessed up to being its own. The gun, however, was stolen.
He’s been convicted of accessory to robbery and causing bodily injury in the past. He has a 1994 felony conviction for a concealed firearm and has also been convicted of firearms possession as a felon before. In addition to attempting to bring a stolen weapon through an airport security checkpoint, he also faces charges as a felon for firearms possession.
Ironically Coolio once worked a security job at LAX.
For those of you who weren’t young adults in the 90s, Coolio is best known for Gangsta’s Paradise
Here’s Coolio being walked out of the terminal and into a police car. The incident occurred shortly before 11 am local time on Saturday at the airport’s terminal 3 which is home to Virgin America, JetBlue, Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit.
Coolio addressed the incident in a video from dinner at PF Changs after being released on $37,808 bail. PF Changs?
Tonight he’ll be performing with Salt-N-Pepa and Vanilla Ice. (Really.)
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel
Did TMZ kidnap Gary Leff?
Gary you really seem to relish stories like this. Exactly what is it about them that you believe appeals so much to your audience? Is it that this man is a rapper, or rapper with a rap sheet, or Compton born, or in possession of a “stolen” gun, or to top it off, a video of this menace to society being led away in chains, er handcuffs, by White cops? I expected a statement like “and some… I suppose… are good people” would have been included somewhere.
Your headline asserts that the gun was stolen. What is the basis for that claim? Your story establishes that Coolio could not purchase a gun legally, but it contains no facts establishing that the gun was stolen. Perhaps you are relying on veracity of the initial TMZ report. That report admits TMZ doesn’t even know the type of gun at issue, and TMZ doesn’t claim Coolio was booked for theft or receiving stolen property.
Obviously Coolio has fallen on hard times. He is touring with Vanilla Ice. This maybe a promotion for the tour.
Nothing to see here folks.
Gary’s just slide slide slippity-sliding.
Racist Coolio, who can’t even speak English, eats at P.F. Changs, a Chinese restaurant that doesn’t have any Chinese working there. Speaks (and eats) volumes.
Foolio.
@john uh, you might want to get off you high horse about relying on the veracity of TMZ. They get very, very little wrong – arguably less wrong than say the NYT (think WMD). In a simple case like this _everyone_ is repeating what TMZ has to say because they’re right. Maybe you’re jealous of Harvey Levin, maybe you didn’t get into UoC law school, I don’t know – but you can’t argue that TMZ isn’t right a helluva lot more often than they are wrong.
And as for “is this relevant for this blog,” give me a break! Of course it is – just as relevant as pilots running a prostitution ring or a drunk lead singer riding the baggage carousel. This is funny stuff.
3 white police officers…
yeah, i’m waiting for Mr. President to comment on it.
Coolio is bad boy. White girls that are rebelling (it’s a phase) love that.
Those cops ensured that there is a line of white girls wanting to have his baby now.
No wonder the Republican party is full of angry white men
@b I thought my high horse had nothing to do with TMZ. Did you read the TMZ reports Gary cited? TMZ asserts that it was determined the gun was stolen and that Coolio and his security guard were both arrested for possession of a stolen loaded firearm. TMZ then reports Coolio was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon not theft or possession of stolen property. Among other inconsistencies, Gary and TMZ refer to a crew, team or entourage (i.e. multiple scary Black men) when TMZ only mentions Coolio and a single security guard.
A few months ago, TMZ, Gary and other noted bloggers were equally quick to jump on a story about Azealia (sp?), a diminutive bi/les rapper. Their reports completely ignored her side of the story but took advantage of assumptions many have about poor folk from the ghetto.
It can be easy to make a buck or get a vote by playing on fears, prejudices and stereotypes, I’d hoped Mr. Leff was better than that.
I still love Gangsta’s Paradise. Classic. Timeless. Not too tough yet not too soft. Choir samples in background. Enough rap and a great hook from LV. Notice there is no profanity on this track? That’s because the choir sample is from a Stevie Wonder song and he would not release the rights unless Cooolio cut the cussin. He did and Stevie loved the track.
Sorry he’s back in trouble. No hate.