Fans frustrated over the reveal that rapper Coolio would not be having a memorial are saddened today at the news that he has already been cremated. Coolio passed away on September 28th, 2022. He was found unresponsive at a friend’s home in Los Angeles. Coolio was survived by his ten children, long-time girlfriend Mimi Ivey, and his enduring hit “Gangsta’s Paradise.”
Coolio was a beloved rapper for children of the ’90s era. His song “Gangsta’s Paradise” was a staple on radio and music video networks and was even parodied by Weird Al in an iconic remake from the same time frame. Coolio was also the voice behind the signature Kenan and Kel theme song. People loved his larger-than-life personality and signature hair.
As he got older, Coolio became a reality television fixture as he explored his relationship with Mimi Ivey through several shows, including Wife Swap and Couples Therapy. The duo admitted to both being pretty stubborn and struggling with addiction and infidelity, something Mimi says she eventually accepted in the years before he passed. While the pair had intended on getting married, Mimi admits that they simply never finalized the court documents but always lived as husband and wife. She used his last name professionally, and he was helping raise her three children, who all called him dad.
In the days following his passing, Mimi came forward to inform fans that Coolio would not be having a large memorial or service to commemorate his life, as per his wishes. Instead, he would be cremated quietly amongst a very small group of family and friends. While many wondered what his children had to say about this, several of them have come forward to defend Mimi, confirming that they all knew and were all on board with their father’s wishes. They all opted to get jewelry made so that they could carry their father’s ashes around with them. The kids are all getting a chance to create custom jewelry of their choosing, and the remaining ashes will go into an urn, possibly to be held by Mimi.
While fans respect his wishes, many took to social media to lament about the missed opportunity of hearing a choir sing “Gangsta’s Paradise.” Many others felt that a Coolio funeral would have been well received especially following the Queen’s funeral in London, which many deemed over the top. “F*** YEAH FULL CHOIR SINGING GANGSTA’S PARADISE AS COOLIO’S COFFIN GETS CARRIED OUT OF HIS FUNERAL OR GTFO,” said one fan.
“Do we get a day off work for Coolio’s funeral?” said another. “Imagine being at Coolio’s funeral and the priest says ‘As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…’ and wondering what version he’s about to continue with…” jokes another fan. Finally, another person brought up the Queen, saying “Coolio’s funeral should be bigger than the Queen’s. One of Coolio’s friends speculated that the rapper’s request to keep things small was due to his many baby mothers not getting along. He was 59 years old at the time of death.
