Coolio is the Ghetto Gourmet

You know him as the rapper behind the hit Gangsta's Paradise. But, did you know he has some serious skills in the kitchen as well? Coolio can really cook and he's showing off his skills in a new show called Cooking with Coolio on My Damn Channel.

In his first episode he whips up a really tasty looking Caprese Salad with skill and style. In anticipation of his new show, he answered a few questions for the Slashfood readers about food, how he learned to cook and what he hopes people will take away from his new show. Read the interview and check out the show*!

*There is some inappropriate language in the show, so watch with caution. It is probably not safe for work or impressionable ears.

Marisa McClellan: What made you decide to make an online cooking show?

Coolio: I wanted to do a cooking show for a long time, and I wanted to do it on television, but they would never let me do what I wanted, so I took it online. My Damn Channel let me do my show my way.

MM: Who taught you to cook?

Coolio: Ms. Jackie Mae, my mother. She taught me how to cook. Also, I had some formal training. Two years of formal training, where I didn't learn shit.

MM: Do you think that the world is ready for a cooking show hosted by a rap star?

Coolio: Hell yeah. Why not? I think the world is ready for a cooking show by a rap star who can cook.

MM: What was your favorite food when you were 10 years old?

Coolio: Man, I liked everything my mom cooked for real. My mom's spaghetti, KFC and McDonalds.

MM: What do you think of the local eating/100 Mile food movement?

Coolio: I'm with it.

MM: Do you bake as well as cook?

Coolio: A little bit. I'm working on it.

MM: With all the food television out there, what do you think you can add to the conversation?

Coolio: Soul, flavor, comedy, and pimpishness.

MM: What's the one thing that you want people to take away from your show?

Coolio: The ability to go home and make a decent meal that doesn't cost them an arm and a leg.

Also -- let me say this... in the famous words of Gusteau from Ratatouille: "Anybody can cook."

MM: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

Coolio: Thanks to you too.

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