Resting in a Gangsta’s Paradise.
Rapper Coolio has passed away at the age of 59.
His longtime friend and manager Jarez Posey confirmed with TMZ that the rapper died in Los Angeles after a friend found him in the bathroom unresponsive. Paramedics arrived shortly after and announced he was dead on the scene. No foul play has been reported. EMT suspects he suffered a cardiac arrest.
“We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away Wednesday afternoon,” says Coolio’s talent manager, Sheila Finegan. “He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly. Please have Coolio’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio, who rose to stardom in the ’90s, is most known for his hits “Fantastic Voyage” and “Gangsta’s Paradise”. He was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania and then moved to Compton, California, where he released debut studio album, It Takes A Thief, featuring the single “Fantastic Voyage” The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 100 charts.
In 1995, he released his biggest hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” featuring L.V., which was featured on the soundtrack to the film, Dangerous Minds. It was later featured on Coolio’s 1995 sophomore album, Gangsta’s Paradise. The song spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 100 charts and earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance the following year. The album also produced other hits including“1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “Too Hot“.
Coolio starred in a series of films, including Batman & Robin, and Futurama, in which he voiced Kwanzaa-bot. He provided the theme song, “Aw, Here It Goes!” for the 1996 Nickelodeon television series Kenan & Kel and made cameos on Martin, Parent Hood, The Nanny, and Malcom & Eddie, among other sitcoms. He was also a contestant on Fear Factor in 2001. In 2009, he released his most recent album, From The Bottom To 2 Top, and released a cook book, Cookin’ With Coolio, which was also the title of his cooking show.
The father of six, just performed on Friday (Sep. 23) in Texas alongside his longtime friend and frequent tour mate, rapper Vanilla Ice. He was due perform again on October 9. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
The post Coolio Passes Away at 59 first appeared on Rap Radar.