US rapper Coolio found dead at 59
Rappers and movie stars, including Snoop Dogg, MC Hammer and Michelle Pfeiffer, have paid tribute to Gangsta’s Paradise rapper Coolio, who was found dead on a bathroom floor.
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The entertainment industry is in shock after Grammy-winning rapper, producer and actor Coolio has died in Los Angeles.
According to TMZ, the rapper was visiting a friend late Wednesday afternoon when he suddenly passed away.
Coolio’s longtime manager, Jarez AKA Jarel Posey, confirmed he went to the bathroom at his friend’s house, but when he didn’t come back, he eventually went in and found Coolio laying on the floor.
Fans are reeling from the news on social media as an official cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
But it is understood Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics were called.
Jarez said paramedics cited a suspected cardiac arrest as his cause of death.
American rapper Ice T tweeted his shock and revealed he had only spoken to him two weeks ago.
“Holly Shit!!! I was just talking to him 2 weeks ago! He was performing in Europe... This is so Fd up...”, he tweeted.
Holly Shit!!! I was just talking to him 2 weeks ago! He was performing in Europe... This is so Fd up... https://t.co/gFWO6FDKUQ
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) September 29, 2022
Fellow rapper Ice Cube responded to his death with a tribute on Twitter, recalling his “grind to the top of the industry”.
This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Cooliohttps://t.co/vCeyn08Vsi
— Ice Cube (@icecube) September 29, 2022
Snoop Dogg took to Instagram to pay his respects, posting a photo of the pair and referencing Coolio’s smash hit in the caption: “Gangstas paradise. R. I. P. 🙏🏽🌹 🕊 ♿️🚾”.
U Can’t Touch This legend MC Hammer declared the 59-year-old chart roper to be “good people.”
“One of the nicest dudes I’ve known,” he posted.
One of the nicest dudes I’ve known.
— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) September 29, 2022
Good people. R.I.P. Coolio 🕊 🌹 🕊 pic.twitter.com/yQF9ZonbKA
Ivey was signed to Tommy Boy records in 1994 with Fantastic Voyage, the lead single from his debut album It Takes A Thief, firmly establishing his rap credentials as one of the biggest hip hop singles of the year.
But his global breakthrough came in 1995 with Gangsta’s Paradise which featured in the Dangerous Minds film starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer, who co-starred in the Gangsta’s Paradise video, said she was “heartbroken” to hear of the passing of the “gifted artist” who she credited for boosting the box office success of Dangerous Minds.
A life cut entirely too short. As some of you may know, I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995,” she posted on Instagram.
“He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack — which is the reason I think our film saw so much success.
“I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr.”
The soundtrack tie-in launched the song onto the pop airwaves and set a new benchmark for the commercial success of rap music as a mainstream genre.
The song hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and ended the year as the No. 1 single of that year in the US.
It won a Grammy for best rap solo performance and was the highest selling song worldwide in 1995, commanding No.1 on the Australian charts for a marathon 13 weeks, a record which stood until Ed Sheeran with Shape of You in 2017.
He had been playing regular shows throughout America over the past few months, most recently performing a club show in Texas.
He was one of the star acts at the Riot Fest in Chicago on September 18, with the Fantastic Voyage rapper given a classic intro: “Coming to the stage, straight out of Compton, California - 1 billion views on YouTube, 1 billion streams on Spotify - put your hands together for Coolio!”
At that show, just 10 days before his death, Coolio dedicated C U When U Get There to deceased rappers including DMX, Phife Dawg, Biz Markie, Eazy-E, Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.
He last performed in Australia at Groovin the Moo in Townsville and was in Melbourne in 2018 where he got a tattoo of the music for his hit song Gangsta’s Paradise at Oculus Tattoo.
On the 25th anniversary of Gangsta’s Paradise in 2020, Coolio told Rolling Stone how initially Stevie Wonder refused to clear the sample from his 1976 hit Pastime Paradise used on the Coolio track.
“When Stevie heard it, he was like, “No, no way. I’m not letting my song be used in some gangster song,” Coolio said.
But the rapper’s team finally got permission after agreeing to make some changes and “take some curse words out.”
“You know what “Gangsta’s Paradise” did, more than being one of the biggest sellers of that time? It solidified me in the rest of the world. It guaranteed that I could tour well into my sixties, if I wanted to,” he said.
Coolio put his pop culture cachet to work as a television personality, regularly popping up on American reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother and Wife Swap.
He also had a lengthy acting resume with cameos on television series including Charmed and Joey and was on the cast lists for three movies in the works including the political horror spoof It Wants Blood 2.
Coolio was also a celebrity home cook and released his own recipe book titled Cookin’ with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price.
But Coolio’s career wasn’t without controversy and a criminal rap sheet.
In 2009, he was charged with possession of cocaine and battery after a crack pipe was found in his luggage at Los Angeles International Airport.
He allegedly grabbed a security worker’s arm to stop his luggage being searched, and ordered by a judge to go into 18 months of drug rehabilitation.
In 2001, he had a felony conviction for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle.
In 2016, he pleaded guilty after a loaded pistol was found in his backpack at the same airport.
He was sentenced to three years of probation and 45 days of community service.
Coolio is survived by his ten children which include four from his marriage to ex-wife Josefa Salinas and six others are from other relationships.
Originally published as US rapper Coolio found dead at 59
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