COOLIO - COOLIO TO SELL HIS BRAIDS

Veteran hip-hop star COOLIO is planning to cut off his trademark braids - and sell them.

The GANGSTA'S PARADISE rapper, real name ARTIS IVEY JR, is planning to get rid of his hairstyle in 2006 after sporting it for a number of years - and he plans to raise some cash for a good cause at the same time.

He says, "(My braids) are in a mohawk now. I'm going to keep them until the end of the year, then I'm going to cut them off and auction them for charity."