Los Angeles  - Rapper Coolio has been charged with battery and possession of cocaine, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office announced Tuesday.

The charges stem from an incident on Friday in which Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after police searched his luggage and allegedly found cocaine.

According to police, the 45-year-old rapper allegedly grabbed a luggage screener's arm to prevent the search.

Coolio, best known for his 1995 hit Gangsta's Paradise, is scheduled to be arraigned on April 3. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison. dpa