Rapper Coolio Dead at 59
Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., reportedly passed away on Wednesday (September 28) in Los Angeles. He was 59 years old.
According to TMZ, the “Gangster’s Paradise” rapper was visiting a friend late Wednesday afternoon when he died.
Coolio’s longtime manager, Jarez, says he went to the bathroom at his friend’s house but did not come out after a while. That’s when the friend eventually went in, after calling his name repeatedly, and discovered him laying on the floor.
TMZ reports that EMTs were summoned and pronounced Coolio dead at the scene. Paramedics, according to Jarez, suspect he suffered cardiac arrest. An official cause of death has not yet been determined.
An original member of the Maad Circle, Coolio went on to attain enormous fame during the 1990s with his 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” for the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film, Dangerous Minds.
The song stayed at No. 1 on the charts for three weeks, and while it became his signature, Coolio also had several others including “Fantastic Voyage”, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “It’s All the Way Live (Now)” and “1,2,3,4 (Sumpin’ New)”. Coolio is also known for "Aw, Here It Goes!" from the 1996 Nickelodeon television series Kenan & Kel.
Coolio leaves behind six children.
We will keep you updated with more details as they become available.
