It's an incredibly sad day for the hip-hop world: it was announced this morning that legendary rapper, Coolio, was found dead yesterday at a friend's home in Los Angeles, California. The musician, officially named Artis Leon Ivey Jr, had been dropping music since the 1980s, but it was in 1995 when he made his mark with the hit-record Gangsta's Paradise. Earning him a Grammy, the tune made its way into Hollywood when it appeared on the soundtrack of Michelle Pfeiffer's film Dangerous Minds. In the aftermath of this news, fans have flocked to the rapper's Spotify page, ranking up a billion streams on his iconic song and honoring his legacy.
While no specific details of the star's death have been revealed, his manager Jarez Posey told multiple news outlets that Coolio was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor. While paramedics were called to the scene, they could not revive him, coming to the reasonable conclusion that he had suffered a cardiac arrest. Just days before the incident, the rapper had been performing alongside Vanilla Ice and Young MC as part of their 90's star tour.
As soon as the news of his passing was made public, fellow rap artists took to social media to send their condolences. "I'm freaking out; I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away," tweeted Vanilla Ice. "Gangstas paradise. R I P." Snoop Dog wrote alongside a picture of them on set the music video of their 2006 hit collaboration Gangsta Walk. "This is sad news. I witness first hand this man's grind to the top of the industry," recalled Ice Cube. The hip-hop star MC Hammer also joined in the public tributes, labeling Coolio as "one of the nicest dudes I've known" and uploading a picture of himself alongside Coolio, Snoop Dog, and Tupac.
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Other famous songs of his include Fantastic Voyage, Rollin' With My Homies, 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), and Too Hot. As the world mourns the loss of this talented artist, it can be assured that his four-decade and eight-album musical legacy will live beyond his years on earth...
