Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Grammy Winner Rapper, 59, dies , at a friends house.
Coolio, the Grammy-Winner rapper, producer, and actor best remembered for his 1995 single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has passed away. He was 59.
Jarel Posey, the rapper’s longtime manager, confirmed the news to Variety, claiming Coolio died at 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday afternoon. Coolio was discovered at a friend’s house, according to TMZ.
“We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon. He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly,” Sheila Finegan, his manager at Trinity Artists International, said in a statement to Variety. “Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolio’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
Coolio rose to fame in the Los Angeles rap scene in the 1990s, landing his big break with the song “Gangsta’s Paradise” for the 1995 film “Dangerous Minds,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer. It rapidly became one of the most popular rap songs of all time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and finishing 1995 as the country’s No. 1 single. At the Grammy Awards in 1996, “Gangsta’s Paradise” was nominated for record of the year and best rap solo performance, with Coolio winning the latter.
The song was quickly ridiculed by “Weird Al” Yankovic, who satirised it as “Amish Paradise,” despite Coolio’s insistence that he had not given Weird Al permission to do so. Coolio later stated in interviews that the two reconciled.
Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Pennsylvania on August 1, 1963, and later went to Compton, California, where he joined the hip-hop group WC and the Maad Circle in 1991. Coolio signed with Tommy Boy Records a few years later, in 1994, and released his debut album “It Takes a Thief.” “It Takes a Thief,” propelled by its lead single “Fantastic Voyage,” reached at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart and was certified platinum.
Coolio’s fame grew with the success of “Gangsta’s Paradise” in the mid-’90s, and he finally recorded “Aw, Here It Goes!” for the opening sequence of Nickelodeon’s “Kenan & Kel,” in which he also appeared. His third studio album, “My Soul,” was released in 1997 and included the single “C U When U Get There,” which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was rated gold, but it did not have the same impact as his first two albums, and hence became his final record with Tommy Boy.
Coolio would go on to record five more studio albums: “Coolio.com” in 2001, “El Cool Magnifico” in 2002, “The Return of the Gangsta” in 2006, “Steal Hear” in 2008, and “From the Bottom 2 the Top” in 2009. Coolio became a TV personality when his commercial success in music faded, finishing third on a German talent competition about artists wanting to make a comeback in 2004 and starring on “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2009. Coolio’s other passion was food. In 2009, he published his first cookbook, “Cookin’ With Coolio,” and in 2012, he finished second on the Food Network series “Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.”
Coolio was also a great actor who appeared in dozens of films and TV episodes throughout his career. Coolio’s credits include the “Dangerous Minds” TV spinoff (1996), “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1996), “Batman & Robin” (1997), “The Nanny” (1998), “Tyrone” (1999), “Midnight Mass” (1999), “Charmed” (2002), “Star-ving” (2009), “Futurama” (2001, 2010), and “Gravity Falls” (2001). (2012).
Coolio has three films in the works, according to his IMDb page: Rob Margolies’ “Bobcat Moretti,” a monster picture named “It Wants Blood 2,” and a TV movie called “Vegas High.” Coolio has also continued to perform, most recently at Chicago’s Riot Fest on September 18.