Coolio charged with cocaine possession, battery

Rapper Coolio has been charged with cocaine possession and battery following his March 6 arrest at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Associated Press reports.

The 45-year-old rapper, real name Artis Leon Ivey, received one felony count of cocaine possession and two misdemeanor charges. The misdemeanors are for battery and possession of paraphernalia. The battery charge stems from the rapper grabbing an airport security checker's arm in an attempt to prevent being searched, according to the AP.

Ivey is best known for his 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and won him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1996. His album of the same name hit No. 9 on Billboard's album charts and was certified double platinum with sales of over 2 million copies.

Since then, the rapper has failed to duplicate that success. In recent years, he became known for his appearances on reality TV programs like "Celebrity Fear Factor." He also hosts an online program called "Cookin' With Coolio."

Ivey was released on $10,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment on April 3. If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of three years in state prison, Reuters said.