It Takes a Thief

Personnel: Coolio, Billy Boy, LeShaun, Junior P, PS, J-Ro (vocals); CS Coleman (various instruments, vocals); Doug Rasheed (various instruments); Stan "The Guitar Man" Jones (guitar, bass); Joe Blow (horns); Clinton Sands (bass); Dobbs The Wino, Crazy Toones (scratches); Gat, The Homies, Spoon (background vocals).
Producers include: Dobbs The Wino, Rashad Coles, Billy Boy, Crazy Toones, CS Coleman.
All songs written or co-written by A. Ivey. Samples include "Hit & Run" (as performed by the Bar-Kays), "The Message" (as performed by Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five), "Coolin Me Out" (as performed by the Isley Brothers) and "Mister Magic" (as performed by Grover Washington, Jr.).
"Fantastic Voyage" was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance in the 37th Annual Grammy Awards.
Personnel: Coolio (vocals); Stan Jones (vocals, guitar); Joe Blow (horns); G.A.T. , Homies (background vocals).
Unknown Contributor Role: Doug Rasheed.
"Fantastic Voyage," the lead single off Coolio's debut IT TAKES A THIEF, became one of those rare musical commodities in the summer of 1994: a commercial hip-hop smash that also carried a street/club credibility. Driven by a sample of a Lakeside song of the same name, "Voyage" showed what could come of a marriage of West Coast rap productions--a slinky, bass-heavy dance groove ala Dr. Dre--and a post-gangsta lyrical mentality. The emerging single was eaten up by the radio, critics and jeep-hounds, and Coolio's aggresively pensive stance on the hood--that of a reformed crack-addict turned concerned parent--became one to emulate within the community.
There are other tracks on IT TAKES A THIEF that offer a notably different outlook than what we've come to expect from South Central LA's lyrical outlaws. "County Line," for instance, takes a swipe at rappers who wax poetic about "getting paid" but can be spotted doing so on the welfare line; and "I Remember," which features guest rappers J-Ro and Billy Boy, is a decidedly good-natured reminiscence about a pre-driveby life in the hood.
And while Coolio is by-no-means above scattering spiteful disses, IT TAKES A THIEF demonstrates that his venemous reactions aren't nearly as knee-jerk as those of his peers.