Fantastic Voyage (Coolio song)

"Fantastic Voyage" is a song by American rapper Coolio, released in March 1994 as the third single from his debut album, It Takes a Thief (1994). The song was later featured on the compilation album Fantastic Voyage: The Greatest Hits and heavily samples "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside. It peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, two on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold one million copies domestically and received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

"Fantastic Voyage"
Single by Coolio
from the album It Takes a Thief
ReleasedMarch 1994 (1994-03)
GenreG-funk[1][2][3][4]
Length
LabelTommy Boy
Songwriter(s)
  • Norman Beavers
  • Marvin Craig
  • Bryan Wino Dobbs
  • Artis Ivey Jr.
  • Fred Alexander Jr.
  • Mark Adam Wood Jr.
  • Tiemeyer McCain
  • Thomas Oliver Shelby
  • Stephen Shockley
  • Otis Stokes
Producer(s)Bryan Wino Dobbs
Coolio singles chronology
"I Remember"
(1994)		 "Fantastic Voyage"
(1994)		 "Mama I'm in Love Wit a Gangsta"
(1994)
Music video
"Fantastic Voyage" on YouTube

Content

According to AllMusic's Jason Lymangrover, "With its infectious 'Slide, slide, slippity slide' chorus, it went unnoticed that his breakthrough single, 'Fantastic Voyage,' was actually a song about escapism."[5]

Here, as in the artist’s “Gangster's Paradise," Coolio laments the realities of urban black poverty. He writes "Tryin' to find a place... where my kids can play outside without livin' in fear of a drive by."

Critical reception

Dr. Bayyan from Cash Box commented, "Phat, thumpin’ bass, funky groove and Coolio’s voice tellin’ the story of gangin’, slingin’ and killin’. This song makes successful use of the old Lakeside hit of the same name. Unlike many artists, Coolio hasn’t jumped on the jazz tip. He’s just as funky as can be, especially on the Timber Mix and the QDIII Mix."[6] Charles Aaron from Spin ranked "Fantastic Voyage" number three in his list of the "Top 20 Singles of the Year", writing, "Sociohistorical groove and hair. This man obviously should have his own television show."[7]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song features Coolio napping on his front porch, when he gets a phone call from his friend Spoon that wakes him. Spoon asks about taking a trip to the beach, to which an annoyed Coolio responds "we ain't got no car" and hangs up on him. Suddenly a mysterious magician man with a '70s style suit, afro, and cane appears and turns the blue bicycle sitting upside down on Coolio's driveway into a blue 1965 Chevrolet Impala convertible car with hydraulics. Now with a means of transportation, Coolio and his crew head to the beach, while picking up people along the way by letting them ride inside the car's trunk.

The rest of the video features Coolio at the beach helping the crowd of passengers out of the trunk of the car for a beach party, which includes people of all races and a mariachi band. B-Real of Cypress Hill has a cameo. At the end of the video, the car is transformed back into a bicycle on Coolio's driveway and Coolio is woken up again by a phone call from Spoon, showing that the trip was all just a dream. Coolio reminds him that they have no car, telling him to quit calling, and hangs up. Then Coolio looks at the bike to see the dream car's blue custom California license plate saying "FNTX VYG", based on the song's name, is hanging off the bike's front wheel hub. This leaves him wondering if the events were really a dream and dresses the stage for the video "I Remember."

Cast and credits
  • Coolio and guest stars
  • Directed by: F. Gary Gray
  • Cinematographer: Daniel Pearl
  • Produced by: Craig Fanning
  • Production Manager: Tina Lucarelli and Jack Sawyers
  • First assistant director: Greg Webb
  • Production coordinators: Frank Bruno, Tina Lucarelli
  • Premiere: May 1994, 10:00 a.m.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[25] Platinum 1,000,000[26]

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States March 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Tommy Boy
United States July 11, 1994
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [27]

References
  1. "Coolio Is Still Mad His Kurt Cobain Collab Never Happened (and Other Tales From 1994)". SPIN. October 1, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  2. "The 30 best G-Funk tracks of all time". Fact Magazine. July 26, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. "'Clueless' at 20: Revisiting the Soundtrack With a Classic Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2021. It's a G-funk anthem not unlike Coolio's better-known "Fantastic Voyage,"
  4. Greene, Andy (August 8, 2013). "Where Are They Now? 1994's Biggest Pop Acts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. AllMusic ((( It Takes a Thief > Overview ))) AllMusic. Retrieved on October 5, 2008
  6. Bayyan, Dr. (April 9, 1994). "Urban — Rap Single Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  7. Aaron, Charles (December 1994). "Top 20 Singles of the Year". Spin. p. 77. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  8. "Coolio – Fantastic Voyage". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  9. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. September 10, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  10. "Coolio – Fantastic Voyage" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  12. "Coolio – Fantastic Voyage" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. "Coolio – Fantastic Voyage". Top 40 Singles.
  14. "Coolio – Fantastic Voyage". Singles Top 100.
  15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  17. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 23, 1994. p. 30. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  18. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). July 23, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  19. "Coolio Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  20. "Coolio Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  21. "Coolio Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  22. "End of Year Charts 1994". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  23. "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  24. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  25. "American single certifications – Coolio – Fantastic Voyage". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  26. "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 3. January 21, 1995. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  27. "Single Releases". Music Week. July 9, 1994. p. 25.
  28. "Everybody Loves Raymond". YouTube. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  29. "- YouTube". YouTube.
  30. "- YouTube". YouTube.
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