Coolio, an American rapper, died at the age of 59 in Los Angeles, according to numerous news reports. On September 28, the star’s manager, Jarez Posey, confirmed his death to Rolling Stone, while Sheila Finegan, the manager of Trinity Artists International, made a statement to Variety. The reason for his death is yet unclear.
Coolio was a millionaire At the time of his death
Coolio was born on August 1, 1963, in Monessen, Pennsylvania, before migrating to Compton, California. His father was a carpenter and his mother worked in a factory, according to the 59-year-old musician. Artis Leon Ivey Jr., the rapper’s true name, went to school in Compton before enrolling at Compton Community College.
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Coolio’s net worth at the time of his death was $1.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Coolio used to work in airport security and as a volunteer fireman before becoming a full-time hip-hop artist. Working with a firefighting squad, according to the rapper, helped him “clean up” for good. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1994, he stated:
“I required discipline in firefighting training.” Every day, we ran. I wasn’t drinking, smoking, or doing the things I normally did.”
Watcha Gonna Do, the rapper’s first hit, was heard locally on a hip-hop station in the late 1980s. He subsequently worked with WC and the Maad Circle, contributing to their 1991 first album, Ain’t a D*mn Thing Changed. With the release of his first album, It Takes a Thief, in 1994, Coolio rocketed to notoriety, with the tune Fantastic Voyage reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
His biggest effort, however, has been Gangsta’s Paradise, which garnered him a Grammy nomination for Best Solo Rap Performance in 1995. The song was sampled from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song Pastime Paradise and was taken from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Dangerous Minds. The rapper has received five Grammy Award nominations over his career. This year, his iconic song, Gangsta’s Paradise, reached one billion views on YouTube, prompting him to create a video for his fans to commemorate the occasion. He says in the video:
“I’d want to thank everyone for all of their support and affection throughout the years.” I hope I helped you get through some good moments and some terrible.”
Aside from music, the rapper was also an actor, appearing in various films and television shows. According to his IMDb page, the rapper has been in a number of films, including Martin, The Parent ‘Hood, Dangerous Minds, Dear God, Batman & Robin, The Nanny, Malcolm & Eddie, Midnight Mass, Big Brother, Submerged, Gangland, Stealing Candy, A Wonderful Night in Split, Star-ving, and Nina. He also created a culinary show and authored a cookbook, which enhanced his fan base. As previously said, his cause of death is uncertain, however, he supposedly died at the home of a friend.
