It hasn't been two months since Coolio was released from a Vegas jail -- but last week, the rapper was already back in the sights of Vegas law enforcement ... when police pulled his car over.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Coolio was pulled over for having expired plates. He was cited for expired registration and no proof of insurance ... and subsequently let go.

A close call, but he's going back down a dangerous path when you consider Coolio was jailed back in March because of two active bench warrants out for his arrest ... both stemming from traffic violations.

Calls to Coolio were not returned.

Just moments after Coolio was released from jail today in Vegas, the rapper bee-lined to the first place he could think of ... a casino ... and TMZ has obtained photographic proof.

Sources tell TMZ, Coolio waltzed into the Golden Nugget about an hour ago -- and snapped this friendly pic with staffers.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was arrested earlier today after cops pulled over the car he was riding in -- and discovered C had two active bench warrants out for his arrest stemming from multiple traffic violations.

Coolio was then hauled to Clark County Detention Center -- where his son Grtis is rotting away for allegedly robbing some dude at gunpoint a few months ago.

Like father, like son ...

TMZ has learned rapper Coolio was arrested in Las Vegas today ... and is currently behind bars at the same jail as his kid.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Coolio was a passenger in a Nissan Versa which was pulled over for a routine traffic violation early Friday morning.

We're told the cops ran Coolio's name in the system and noticed he had 2 active bench warrants out for his arrest stemming from multiple traffic violations.

Coolio was arrested and hauled to Clark County Detention Center -- the same place where his son Grtis is rotting away for allegedly robbing some dude at gunpoint a few months ago.

Coolio's bail has been set at $5,850. A court date has not yet been set.


4:32 PM PT: Coolio has since posted bail and been released.

Coolio's oldest son -- who appeared on the family reality show "Coolio's Rules" --is locked up in a Nevada jail ... after allegedly teaming up with a Vegas hooker to rob some dude at gunpoint.

TMZ has learned ... 22-year-old Grtis Ivey (who went by "Artis" on the reality show) ... was arrested on November 14, 2011 for allegedly busting into a Vegas apartment with a gun and forcing the tenant into the bathroom ... while he and a female prostitute named Shantrice Wilkerson ransacked the place.

But the back story is INSANE.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ ... Shantrice was trollin' at LAX nightclub at the Luxor on October 26 ... and met a guy named Joseph Hall ... who didn't know she was a call girl.

The two hit it off ... and Wilkerson told him that she had a "dream" of having sex on a pile of money.

Hall asked if $5,000 was OK ...  she agreed ... and the two eventually went back to Hall's apartment to grab the cash out of a safe.

According to the report, the two bounced to Wilkerson's pad to do the deed ... but before it went down, Wilkerson asked for money ... and Hall flipped out and left.

But cops say, Wilkerson REMEMBERED where Hall lived ... and brought Grtis to the place 3 days later so they could rob it.

According to the report ... Grtis entered the pad with a gun ... and ordered Hall's rooommate into the bathroom while he and the hooker stole a safe, 2 iPads, 2 laptops, passports, and anything else that wasn't nailed down.

Cops say the roommate was able to identify Coolio's son and the hooker -- and both were arrested on a slew of charges including robbery with a deadly weapon, first degree kidnapping and grand larceny.

Both Grtis and Wilkerson told cops they never brought a gun to the apartment ... and Wilkerson admitted to stealing some of the stuff.

Grtis is being held without bail ... and is due to face a judge on Monday. 

Coolio was a drunken, incoherent, vulgar mess at a concert last week in Minneapolis -- this according to the owner of the venue ... and based on the pictures obtained by TMZ, dude ain't lying.


The rapper stopped by a place called The Lounge for their "Hip Hop Thursday" event -- where he performed three songs, including "Gangster's Paradise" ... and we're told, he could barely speak the words.

Lounge owner Bryan Bell tells us, "Coolio was completely hammered ... a trainwreck, he was totally vulgar and completely incoherent and I did not want to be there for it” -- adding, “This is not what the Lounge does. This is not what we do at our club."

Calls to Coolio's people weren't returned.

Coolio's brand new tattoo was supposed to impress his tour mates Insane Clown Posse, and their fans -- unfortunately whoever inked him up didn't use spell check.



The body art was supposed to be an homage to ICP fans -- who call themselves "juggalos." Coolio's tattoo reads "Jugalo Cool" -- ironically one 'G' shy of actually being cool.

The "Angsta's Paradise" rapper isn't losing any sleep -- telling TMZ the typo was done on purpose and he doesn't plan to fix it.

Coolio's baby mama called in the government to force the rapper to cough up child support -- but what she really wants is health insurance.

A local child support agency in Los Angeles filed documents recently asking a court to order the "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper to pay $300 in monthly child support for his one-year-old son, Christopher Kal El Ivey Bellesi. Who knew Coolio was such a big fan of Nic Cage?

But his baby mama, Anabella Bellesi, tells TMZ the child support crackdown is a necessary requirement.  She says in order to apply for Medi-Cal for their son -- she must prove to the state that she has exhausted all her options.

It's a good thing she has a backup plan. According to the filed docs, Coolio only earns $1,387 a month.

So far no word from Coolio's people.

Coolio can now walk the streets without being arrested on sight.

We're told the rapper finally showed up to court yesterday for his progress report hearing -- which means the $10,000 bench warrant that was issued on Monday for his arrest is no longer active.

According to court officials, Coolio proved he's in compliance with his probation -- including his participation in drug rehab.

Coolio pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance back in June, after he was arrested at LAX airport with crack.

Coolio is due back in court on January 18 ... hope he makes it.

For the first time since 1995, Coolio is a wanted man again.

TMZ has learned a $10,000 bench warrant was issued for Coolio's arrest today, after the rapper failed to show up to court in L.A for a progress report hearing.

Court documents show Coolio's lawyer tried to get in touch with the rapper to find out why he was a no-show ... but couldn't get him on the horn.

Coolio has been on probation since last year, after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance -- specifically, crack cocaine at LAX.

DMX may have wanted to fix his fight to avoid an ass-beating, but now he's really cruisin' for a bruisin' -- legally -- because the promoters that hired X are suing him for chickening out last minute.

According to docs filed Friday in Birmingham, Alabama -- Thunder Promotions wants $1,000,000 from the rapper, claiming he's a fraud and led them on ... because as soon as they refused to fix his fight, he backed out.

The company says DMX's jitters really put them under the wire and cost them a ton of moolah because they had to switch gears late in the game and find a celebrity replacement.

But if you want our opinion -- DMX isn't half the man who's fighting in his place on December 12 ... because that man is Coolio!!!

DMX couldn't come to terms with the people putting on a celeb boxing match next month -- meaning they wouldn't fix it so he would win -- so X is out and Coolio is in.

Thunder Productions tells TMZ they have signed Coolio to the upcoming celebrity boxing match scheduled to take place in Alabama next month. They tell us Coolio has been much easier to deal with and "he is going to take this seriously."

X had previously agreed to the bout, but only on the condition he was guaranteed to win.