Grammy-winning rapper, producer and actor, Coolio, most known for his 1995 classic “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has died. He was 59.
His longtime manager Jarel Posey, confirmed his death to multiple media outlets stating Coolio died around 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday afternoon. According to TMZ, he was found at a friend’s house.
“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 became popular during the 1990s in Los Angeles’ rap scene after snagging his big hit record “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which was scored for the 1995 “Dangerous Minds.” It soon became one of the most played rap songs of all time, charting the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and ending 1995 as the No. 1 single in the United States for that year.
Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. on Aug. 1,1963 in Pennsylvania, he later moved to Compton, California, where he joined the hip-hop group WC and the Maad Circle in 1991. In 1994, he signed with Tommy Boy Records, and released his debut album ‘It Takes a Thief.”
He is also widely known by millennials for the fame of “Aw, Here It Goes!,” the theme song for Nickelodeon’s “Kenan & Kel.”
Sources:TMZ, Variety
