Honest respect to the creator who put System of a Down‘s 2002 Toxicity single “Aerials” and Coolio‘s 1995 Dangerous Minds soundtrack contribution, “Gangsta’s Paradise,” into a mashup together.
Because, sure, unofficial mashups between rock bands and pop or hip-hop artists are plentiful. Still, hearing strains from different parts of the zeitgeist’s past come together in rhythmic accordance remains a great way to puzzle one’s eardrums. That’s undoubtedly a perk of “Gangsta’s Aerials,” the latest mashup from William Maranci, YouTube’s self-proclaimed “CEO of cursed mashups.”
Listen to the SOAD–Coolio mashup near the bottom of this post.
Maranci is no mashup novice. The DJ and performing artist has several albums of his experimental mashup mixes available online, including the latest, Meat Mountain, released in May. Elsewhere on YouTube, the creator has mashed up Muse with Flo Rida, Nirvana with Bruno Mars, The Strokes with Playboi Carti and much more.
His System of a Down and Coolio mashup first emerged on Thursday (June 22). It opens with the unmistakable choral hook from “Gangsta’s Paradise” before fading into one of the signature clean guitar riffs from “Aerials.” Throughout the track, Coolio’s rap verses layered over pummeling sections of the Toxicity tune. The refrain then combines the “Gangsta’s Paradise” chorus with the earlier SOAD riff.
Hear more of Maranci’s stuff on Patreon, Instagram and Bandcamp.
