Coolio is selling his music rights to fund a cookbook series

After a 19-year music career, rapper Coolio is parting with his music, including 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise."

Why? To fund a series of cookbooks and his "ghetto gourmet" online cooking show.

The rapper hasn't had a US hit for about 15 years, but he still earns royalties of up to $23,227 a year on his various singles, reports the Guardian. His collection of 123 songs will go up for auction via the Royalty Exchange, predicted to fetch between $134,000 and $225,000.

The news may be bittersweet for his music fans, but the rapper-turned-chef is merely investing in his future (without a Kickstarter campaign!), expanding upon the theme of his bestselling cookbook, "Cookin' with Coolio." It'll be tough to follow-up recipes like "Drunk-Ass Chicken," "Mozzarella for the Pimpish Fella," "Magical Fruit Soup" and "Bro-Ghetti," but if it can be done, Coolio is the man to do it.

We wish Coolio the best of luck. In the meantime, realize that this song could be yours: