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List Price: $5.98 | | Label: Wea International
Salesrank: 100583
Released: July 19, 1994 |
| Our Price: $14.73 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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It Takes a Thief Track Listing:
1. Fantastic Voyage
2. County Line
3. Mama, I'm in Love wit a Gangsta
4. Hand on My
5. Ghetto Cartoon
6. Smokin'
7. Can-O-Corn
8. U Know Hoo!
9. It Takes a Thief
10. Bring Back Somethin fo da Hood
11. N da Closet
12. On My Way to Harlem
13. Sticky Fingers
14. Thought You Knew
15. Ugly Bitches
16. I Remember
Editorial Review:
The rapper's 1994 debut album features 16 tracks including the hit 'Fantastic Voyage' & the classic 'County Line'. Tommy Boy.
It Takes a Thief Reviews:
An Album That Exceeded My Expectations (Rating: 8 out of 10- -4.0 stars) 
2009-04-22 - After getting his major debut in the group The Madd Circle, with west coast rapper, WC, Coolio came out with his solo debut It Takes A Thief back in 1994. His debut was able to blend in with the popular west coast rap scene around that time. Here Coolio takes you through a tale of stories before he became a recording artist. The album's concept is interesting, but at the same time, gets kind of repetitive. But the overall product is highly enjoyable for one fan to like.
With the lead single "Fantastic Voyage", Coolio creates a track for one to bounce to. "County Line", and "Mama I'm In Love With A Gangsta", he rhymes about being broke and being locked away for some time. The latter track features up and coming rapper Leshaun (you might recognize her from LL Cool J's "Doin' It") who drops an okay verse. Further down the album are tracks like "Can-O-Corn", and "Sticky Fingers" where he reminisces over times he used to shoplift to get by in life. The album's title track is one of the biggest highlights on the album as Coolio tells stories on how he used to rob people for their goods. "N Da Closet" is another standout, as he explains about the effects of his drug habit. The end of the album "I Remember" is another great track that features J-Ro from the Alkaholiks, and Billy Boy.
Given that this is an excellent album, Coolio missteps on such songs like "Ghetto Cartoon", and "On My Way To Harlem". Both tracks are one of the few that failed to standout in my opinion.
Overall Coolio's debut was a great album. Coolio sounds very motivated and hungry as he strives to keep his lyrical content above the average. I enjoyed the content that he placed here on this album, and it will keep a listener interested. Given that this is out of print, and only sells for a penny, this is one purchase I would recommend, especially those who are new to Coolio and are on the fence about his material. Peace.
Lyrics: B+
Production: B+
Guest Appearances: B+
Musical Vibes: A-
Top 5 Tracks:
1. It Takes A Thief
2. I Remember (featuring J-Ro and Billy Boy)
3. N Da Closet
4. Fantastic Voyage
5. County Line
Honorable Mention:
1. Mama I'm In Love With A Gangsta (featuring LeShaun)
2. U Know Hoo! (featuring W.C.)
Back in the day when I was young... 
2009-03-21 - I personally think this is one of the best things that came out from west coast rap thru the whole "Deathrow, Ruthless" era. You gotta be really about your neighborhood and about your friends and family to understand this album since this album is kinda like Coolio's diary on how he came up from gettin high and being broke to puttin out an extremely good album. You can take the radio edit songs to see its worthy enough like Fantastic Voyage but you wont get the whole experience until you feel "n da closet" "I remember" "Can-o-Corn" "sticky fingerz" I feel really sorry for anybody from my generation who hasn't appraised to this album yet and if you can, smoke some....
As good as it ever was
2008-06-17 - If you listened to this when it first came out and loved it- you'll love it now. Coolio shows skill and smarts in the lyrics, as well as humor. Nothing greater than a Can-o-Corn!
Coolio is in da house
2006-01-23 - It's the Hip hop's hair doo master Coolio on a debut album, my locc Coolio went from B.G. to Locc'sta from Compton, CA aka the CPT. Like I said on my review from Gangsta's Paradice, Coolio be blowin' on some Indo or some other type of funky gangee, because Coolio was the locc who released the ultimate house party groove Fantastic Voyage by far Coolio's dopest hit, County Line is a far out Dope song by my locc, Ghetto Cartoon is a funny cartoonished song with funny lyrics, and my locc has another good one called Ugly Bitches, what!? It's a true song by my locc Coolio.
Fantastic Voyage, enough said!
2005-12-14 - It's the Hip hop's hair doo master Coolio on a debut album, my locc Coolio went from B.G. to Locc'sta from Compton, CA aka the CPT. Like I said on my review from Gangsta's Paradice, Coolio be blowin' on some Indo or some other type of funky gangee, because Coolio was the locc who released the ultimate house party groove Fantastic Voyage by far Coolio's dopest hit, County Line is a far out Dope song by my locc, Ghetto Cartoon is a funny cartoonished song with funny lyrics, and my locc has another good one called Ugly Bitches, what!? It's a true song by my locc Coolio.
Hair doo master's best yet is *1, *2, 3, 4, *5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, *15 & 16, did I miss any songs?
