Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rappers, Dies at 59

Coolio, the rapper best known for his 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has died at the age of 59. TMZ was the first to report the news. According to the outlet, the rapper was found dead in the bathroom at a friend’s house. Coolio’s manager, Jarez, told TMZ that the rapper died from a suspected cardiac arrest.

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. on Aug. 1, 1963 in Compton, Calif., Coolio released his first single, “Whatcha Gonna Do?” in 1987. He built a steady following in the L.A. area before exploding into the mainstream in 1994 on the strength of his debut album, It Takes a Thief. That album, which was released on Tommy Boy Records, saw the rapper breakthrough with “Fantastic Voyage.” The song was in heavy rotation on MTV and ultimately peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 100.

In 1995, Coolio and L.V. recorded “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which was released on the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. It topped the Billboard 100 for three weeks and was an international hit. “Gangsta’s Paradise” was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards. “Weird Al” Yankovic famously parodied the song with “Amish Paradise,” which Coolio wasn’t a fan of. Years later on an episode of Hot Ones, he expressed remorse for how he handled the situation, saying it was “one of the dumb things that I did.”

The song would also be released on an album of the same name, which would go on to sell over 2 million units. The album also contained hit songs “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “Too Hot,” which featured J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang.

His next album, 1997’s My Soul, featured his last big hit with “C U When U Get There.” His final solo album, From the Bottom 2 the Top, which was released in 2009.

Over the years, Coolio would feature on reality TV programs like Fear Factor, Celebrity Big Brother, Ultimate Big Brother, Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, Wife Swap and Tipping Point: Lucky Stars. He also appeared in episodes of The Parent ‘Hood, Martin, Kenan & Kel, Sabrina the Teenaged Witch, The Nanny, Futurama and more.

A few weeks ago, Coolio made his final performance at Riot Fest in Chicago.