90s rapper, Coolio, real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., has passed away at the age of 59, T.M.Z. has announced. According to reports, Coolio was visiting a friend’s home at the time of his passing when he went to the restroom. After being in the restromm for a while, Coolio’s friend went to check on the rapper when he found him unresponsive on the floor. When paramedics arrived, the rapper was pronounced deceased on the scene.
RIP Coolio 🕊 pic.twitter.com/ybPtkIHH6z
— Spotify (@Spotify) September 29, 2022
Coolio lived a pretty private life. In 1996, he married Josefa Salinas, but they divorced in 2000. The rapper leaves behind six children. Fans have already begun flooding the late rapper’s social media accounts with tributes and condolences. Many are commenting on the last video Coolio posted four days ago when he was performing in Texas. “R.I.P. legend, one fan wrote.
Coolio signed to Tommy Boy Records in 1995 when he released his first album, Takes A Theif. The album peaked at Number 8 on Billboard 200 and was eventually certified platinum. Coolio’s debut single, ‘Fantastic Voyage’ was also an instant success peaking at Number 3 on Billboard Hot 100. However, his follow-up single ‘Gangsta’s Paradise” from the ‘Dangerous Minds’ soundtrack became his biggest single and one of the most successful rap songs of all time. The record stayed atop Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and sold 2 million copies worldwide.
At the 1996 Grammy Awards, Coolio won his very first Grammy Award when Gangsta’s Paradise won Best Rap Solo Performance. The rapper also won Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist at American Music Awards, and three MTV Video Music Awards. According to Coolio’s Instagram account, Gangsta’s Paradise has reached one billion streams on Spotify.
Throughout his career, Coolio went on to release eight studio albums. It Takes A Theif (1994), Gangsta’s Paradise (1995), My Soul (1997), Coolio.com (2001), El Cool Magnifico (2002), The Return Of The Gangsta (2006), Steal Hear (2008). His last album, “From the Bottom 2 the Top’ was released in 2009. In addition to music, Coolio appeared in many films and television shows, including The Parent Hood, Martin, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, and All That, where he played himself. In 1996 the rapper made his film debut in ‘Dear God’ where he played a character named Gerard. At this moment, Coolio’s cause of death is unknown, but cardiac arrest is suspected. This is a developing story, and we’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
