Rapper Coolio Cause Of Death Unexpected: 'Gangsta's Paradise' Hit Maker Dies At 59

The genius behind "Gangsta's Paradise," Coolio died on Sept. 28, TMZ reports. He was 59 years old.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, they have opened an investigation into the rapper's death but noted that as of this writing, there seems to be no foul play involved in his passing.

The final determination, however, will come from the coroner after performing an autopsy to find out the cause of death, a source added.

Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was visiting a friend in Los Angeles when he excused himself to the bathroom. When the friend went to check up on him after being in the bathroom for quite some time, he found Coolio slumped on the floor, unresponsive.

Paramedics responded shortly after but pronounced the rapper dead at the scene. His manager, Jarel Posey confirmed the news, adding that the time of death was around 5 p.m. PT.

Legacy

Coolio had many talents, including rapping producing, and acting. He entered the rap scene in 1987 with his first single "Whatcha Gonna Do?"

After signing a record deal with Tommy Boy Records in 1994, he released his debut studio album, "It Takes a Thief," which gained traction from audiences. "Fantastic Voyage," a song off the album peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, with "It Takes a Thief" peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 200.

His success came in 1995 after the release of the hit song "Gangsta's Paradise." It was nominated for Record of the year and Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards, and won the latter.

He also received two awards from MTV Video Music Awards, namely the Best Rap Video.

"Gangsta's Paradise" saw massive success, topping the charts, and selling over two million copies in the United States alone.

Many Talents

Aside from his success in music, Coolio also enjoyed acting and appeared in numerous shows and movies.

"Martin," released in 1995, marked his first appearance on the silver screen, followed by a number of shows in 1996 like "Dangerous Minds" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."

His most recent television appearances included "Gravity Falls," a Disney Channel animated show where he voiced the character Wax Coolio, in 2012; "American Hustle Life," a reality show, and "Black Jesus" in 2014. He played Mr Wence in "Teachers" in 2017; and his last acting gig was in 2021, when he appeared in "Let's Be Real."

He juggled this all while he made music. Coolio managed to release eight studio albums, including "My Soul' in 1997, "Coolio.com" in 2001, and "El Cool Magnifico" in 2002.

He attempted to revive the "Gangsta Paradise" hype by releasing "The Return of the Gangsta' in 2006; "Steal Hear" in 2008, and "From the Bottom 2 The Top" in 2009.

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Coolio, Death, Rapper