Coolio charged with crack possession

LOS ANGELES, March 11 (UPI) -- Artis Leon Ivey Jr., the rapper known professionally as Coolio, has been charged in Los Angeles with battery and possession of crack cocaine.

The charges stem from his arrest last week at Los Angeles International Airport where he allegedly was found with drugs in his luggage, then allegedly grabbed a security screener's arm in an attempt to prevent the search, MTV News quoted the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office as saying.

The 45-year-old performer was released on bail and is scheduled to be arraigned April 3.

If convicted, Coolio faces up to three years in state prison, MTV News said.

Best known for his 1990s hit song "Gangsta's Paradise," Coolio has appeared on the reality shows "Celebrity Fear Factor," "Celebrity Bootcamp," "Cookin' with Coolio," "Coolio's Rules" and "Celebrity Big Brother."