American rapper Coolio fathered 10 children before his sad death in September 2022. The 80s Hip-Hop sensation was once married to Josefa Salina whom he shares more than three children including a son named Grtis Ivey while the others were born with several other women.
Though Coolio who was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. had many less desirable attributes including numerous brushes with the law, his commitment to his family was an admirable quality he had. It is no wonder he gave glimpses into their lives on his reality series, Coolio’s Rules which featured four of his children, Artisha, Artis, Brandi, and Jackie. Aside from these four, there were six more who did not appear on screen.
Coolio’s Children: Let’s Meet All 10 of Them
Artisha Ivey
She was born to Coolio and the gospel preacher, Evangelist Juanita Randle on January 24, 1988. While growing up, her father was strict about his daughter’s relationship with boys.
Reportedly, he once caught her sitting on a boy’s lap in the living room of the house. Coolio reacted by picking up one of her legs from the pool table. When Artisha resisted by saying she was 20 years old, Coolio asked her to get a 20-year-old house.
Thankfully, the celebrity daughter took her father’s advice and has since launched a career as a fashion stylist. Her works have been featured in top brands like Volant magazine.
Aside from her career, Nicole is the mother of an adorable daughter named Nala whom she gave birth to in October 2020.
Brandi Ivey
Brandi Ivey was born on April 20, 1988, to Coolio and his ex-wife, Josefa Salinas. Going through her Instagram handle, you would easily find that she is a baker who runs an outfit called Abstract Treats. Aside from baking cakes and pastries for weddings and birthday parties, she is a caterer and a fledgling event planner.
The 35-year-old is married to her long-time boyfriend, Ryan Montgomery. Regarding their relationship history, they started dating in 2009. After staying together for eight years, they walked down the aisle on October 15, 2017, in an event attended by family and close friends. Also, Brandi is a mother of three children.
Artis/Grtis Ivey III
Artis Ivey is the oldest son of the Gangsta’s Paradise rapper and his radio presenter ex-wife, Salinas. Also known as Grtis, he also appeared in Coolio’s rules, yet, this was not the only thing that made him stand out from other members of his family. The rapper’s son who shares the same name has had his share of brushes with the law.
As early as the age of 22, he was arrested and charged with robbery and kidnapping which carried a sentence of nothing less than 3 and half years. Apparently, this was from an incident where he and Shantrice Wilkerson(an accomplice) broke into a Las Vegas apartment.
Aside from this, the 33-year-old was arrested for other crimes including traffic violations. During his jail time, he shared the same facility with his father before he was later bailed.
While you may wonder what he is up to, Artis is keeping a low profile. The last time he spoke to the media was in 2023 after his father’s sad death in September of the same year. Reportedly, Coolio died of a heart attack after his body was found in the bathroom of a friend’s house. Yet, there were many speculations that pointed toward drug overdose. The artist later gave an interview where he clarified his father’s death.
Kate Ivey and Shayna Ivey
Born on January 21, 1987, Kate and Shayna are a pair of twins born to the rapper cum cook and show host. Unlike their other siblings, they have managed to keep a low profile away from the public eye.
Jackie Ivey
She is named after her paternal grandmother, Jackie. Jackie or Poison as she is known by friends and family is a bit of an actress. While it is generally reported that her father had her with Josefa, her Instagram uploads suggest her mother is a woman named Dimp who also works as a caterer.
The January 26, 1993-born made her screen debut in her father’s reality series, Coolio Rules alongside other members of her family. She appeared in five episodes of the show and has not been seen ever since.
While her social media updates are filled with fun memories with family and friends, one such reveals that she may not be able to have kids. In the said July 2018 Instagram upload, the former reality star explained that it was due to a surgery she had when she was 13. Nonetheless, the celebrity daughter has left this behind and is living life surrounded by her loved ones.
Darius Ivey
He was born to Coolio and Taleya White. Considering the popularity of his father, Darius’ relationship with his father suffered a setback when his mother filed a lawsuit against the rapper. Reportedly, Taleya sued Coolio for child support in 2010 making it the second time he would be forced to take care of his responsibility.
The case lingered for two years before it was dismissed in January 2012. One may wonder if he paid, for now, we can only assume that he paid up as the case was later dismissed. In February 2021, he lost his mother.
Focusing on his career, Darius is an artist. His Instagram uploads confirm this as he can be pictured at shows and recording sessions. Also, he is a multi-instrumentalist who also plays the guitar.
So far, Darius has placed himself as a musician in his own right with the release of three albums and an EP, Moon Flowers which he released in 2023.
Melan ‘Santanas Salinas’ Ivey
Melan was born on April 2, 1996, to Coolio and Josefa. Though many sources state that the couple welcomed only four children, it turns out that they welcomed another child in the year they got married. Going through the radio host’s Instagram uploads, she leaves no accolade unturned while celebrating Melan.
Like his famous father who swayed the crowds with his iconic rap, Melan followed in his footsteps. He goes by the stage name, Pharoah Santana.
Zhane Ivey
Like Coolio’s twins who have managed to live privately, Zhane Ivey also keeps a low profile.
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Christopher Kal El Ivey Bellesi
He is the youngest among Coolio’s 10 children. Christopher Kal El Ivey Bellesi was born in 2009 during his father’s love affair with Annabella Bellessi. Like in previous times, one of the highlights of his childhood was a prolonged child support battle between his parents.
According to Annabella, she filed for child support through an LA-based child support agency which demanded $300 a month so her son would get health insurance. Apparently, one of the terms for eligibility for Medi-Cal was proving that she had followed through with all options of getting child support from the Grammy award-winning rapper. Since they could not reach an agreement, Christopher’s mother took a legal path to resolve the issue.
The Gangsta’s Paradise Rapper Revealed He Was a Grandfather Shortly Before his Death
Aside from being one of the celebrities with many children, Coolio was also a proud grandfather of five children. Apparently, he made this detail known when he appeared on the Australian talk show, Today Extra.
Though this surprised many, it is not the first time that the proud grandfather has given snippets into this area of his life. From spending time at home to appearing at games, Coolio is known to have done all these. In fact, he had been accompanied on court by one of his grandchildren, Arya in May 2022 during the Connecticut Sun vs Las Vegas Aces WNBA halftime show.
