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Coolio Biography: Cause Of Coolio Death, Gangsta’s Paradise Rapper Age, Net Worth & More

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Coolio Biography: Cause Of Coolio Death, Gangsta's Paradise Rapper Age, Net Worth & More

Coolio Biography, Cause of Coolio death, Gangsta’s Paradise rapper age, and Coolio net worth, can be accessed below.

Newsone reports that the award-winning rapper, who was among hip-hop’s biggest names during the 1990s with his pop-infused style, Coolio died Wednesday afternoon at a friend’s Los Angeles home, his manager confirmed. He was 59.

Cause of Coolio death: Gangsta’s Paradise rapper dies

The artist’s cause of death remains unknown but according to TMZ, which first reported the news, paramedics were called to the house around 4 p.m. after Coolio collapsed inside the bathroom. He was pronounced dead at the scene from suspected cardiac arrest, the outlet reported. “He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly,” Sheila Finegan, Coolio’s manager,​ said in a statement to The Washington Post.

As news of his death spread, star-studded tributes began to pour in.

“This is sad news,” fellow rapper Ice Cube wrote on Twitter. “I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace.”

Pfeiffer credited “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which she called “a brilliant song, for turning “Dangerous Minds” into a smash-box success in 1995.

“I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song,” she wrote on Instagram. “Sending love and light to his family.”

Coolio music career

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Monessen, Pa., on Aug. 1, 1963, the rapper grew up in Compton, Calif., and served as a volunteer firefighter before pivoting to a full-time music career. His stint with a firefighting crew in the San Jose area was “a way to clean up,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1994.

“In firefighting training was discipline I needed. We ran every day. I wasn’t drinking or smoking or doing the stuff I usually did,” Coolio told the newspaper.

His big break would come that year with “Fantastic Voyage,” followed by “Gangsta’s Paradise” — a No. 1 single that was featured in the 1995 movie “Dangerous Minds,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The song would eventually earn Coolio a Grammy in 1996 and catapult him to hip-hop’s top ranks.

The rapper’s long career included hits like “C U When U Get There” and “1,2,3,4 (Sumpin’ New),” collaborations with other artists, and even a cooking series.

Quick Facts About Coolio

Also Known As: Artis Leon Ivey Jr.

Age: 59 Years, 59 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Josefa Salinas (M. 1996–2000)

Siblings: Malieek Straughter

Children: Artis Ivey III, Grtis Ivey, Kate Ivey, Shayne Ivey

Born Country: United States

Rappers Black Rappers

Height: 5’8″ (173 cm), 5’8″ Males

Notable Alumni: Compton Community College

U.S. State: California, African-American From California

City: Compton, California.

Childhood & Early Life

Born Artis Leon Ivey on August 1, 1963,, to Artis Leon Ivey Sr., a carpenter, and Jackie Slater, a factory worker, Coolio was prone to asthma attacks. Intelligent, studious and well-informed, he found life outside home difficult.

He joined the street gang, Baby Crips, and tried to create a wild and violent image of himself by carrying weapons to school. His studies suffered after being jailed for several months for larceny.
After high school, he attended Compton Community College and renewed his high school interest in rap and performed in contests where he was called ‘Coolio Iglesias.’, and on L.A’s rap radio station, KDAY.
To overcome his cocaine addiction, which disrupted his budding career as a rapper, he entered rehab. When he came out, he worked various odd jobs, but was determined to revive his rap career.

Career

In 1987, Coolio recorded two singles, ‘Watch Gonna Do’ and ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’. He joined the band, group WC and the Maad Circle, four years later.
In 1994, his debut solo album, ‘It Takes a Thief’ boasted the hit single ‘Fantastic Voyage’ that reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and minor hits including ‘County Line’ and ‘I Remember’.

Cashing on the success of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’, he released an album by the same name in 1995. This double platinum album had two hit singles ‘1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)’ and ‘Too Hot’.
Despite having officially left the band, WC and the Maad Circle, he contributed to their second album, ‘Curb Servin’,’ in 1995; he featured in the single, ‘In a Twist’.

In 1996, he featured in the soundtrack of two movies singing, ‘It’s All the Way Live (Now)’, and ‘Hit ’em High’ (with four other rappers), for the movies, ‘Eddie’ and ‘Space Jam’, respectively.
For Red Hot Organization’s much acclaimed compilation CD, ‘America is Dying Slowly’, in 1996, he contributed the single, ‘I Breaks ‘Em Off’, and recorded the theme song for the TV series, Kenan & Kel.

His 1996 album,’ My Soul’, certified platinum, included the super hit single ‘C U When U Get There’, but performed below expectations, and Tommy Boy Records ended their contract with the singer.
Between 2001, and 2008, he released four albums, ‘Coolio.com’, ‘El Cool Magnifico’, ‘The Return of the Gangsta’, and ‘Steal Hear’, which failed to show up on the charts.

In 2002, he appeared on the television program, ‘Celebrity Fear Factor, calling himself, “El Cool Magnifico”, (which became the name of his fourth studio album). That year, he won the ‘Celebrity Bootcamp’.

He has been a regular performer at The Gathering of the Juggalos, an annual festival organized by Psychopathic Records. The event spans five days, and over 107,000 music lovers attend it annually.

In 2008, he hosted ‘Cookin’ with Coolio’, an online cooking show along with jazz artist Jarez, for the website My Damn Channel – a cookbook based on the show was released the next year.

In 2009, he appeared on the television show, ‘Celebrity Big Brother’. He appeared on ‘Ultimate Big Brother’ the following year, but was removed from the house for objectionable behavior towards his housemates.

In January 2012, he was the runner-up in the Food Network reality series, ‘Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off’. He represented the Music Saves Lives organization and won $10,000 for his charity.

In 2013, he declared his intentions of taking his chef career to the next level; he planned to auction 123 of his songs which would fetch him between $134,000 and $225,000 for the purpose.

The rapper continues to perform in concerts. In February 2014, he shared the stage with Goast, Jarel and DJ Locomotive in Ketchum, Idaho.

Major Works

Coolio’s 1994 album, ‘Takes a Thief’, climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard 200, and was certified Platinum. The album was appreciated for the humorous take on typical gangsta rap themes.

His song ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ in the 1995 movie, ‘Dangerous Minds’, stayed on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 3 weeks. It was a No.1 hit in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Personal Life & Legacy

Coolio has fathered ten children from relationships with different women. He has often not been a good role model to his children. He was charged with battery for punching his girlfriend in 2013. On May 18, 1996, he married Josefa Salinas but the couple divorced in 2000.

A spokesman for Environmental Justice and Climate Change, he is dedicated to educating students at historically black colleges about global warming. He is the spokesperson of Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America too.

Trivia

This rapper sports a weird hairstyle with braids that stick out all over his head. Presently, he has a bald patch in the center, but his spidery braids remain.

This rapper’s super hit single ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’, a rework of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Pastime Paradise’, was parodied by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic as ‘Amish Paradise’.

Awards

Grammy Awards
1996 Best Rap Solo Performance Winner
ASCAP Film And Television Music Awards
1997 Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures Dangerous Minds (1995)
MTV Video Music Awards
1996 Best Dance Video Coolio: 1 2 3 4 (Sumpin’ New) (1996)
1996 Best Video from a Film Dangerous Minds (1995)
1996 Best Rap Video Coolio feat. L.V.: Gangsta’s Paradise (1995)
1996 Best Video from a Film Coolio feat. L.V.: Gangsta’s Paradise (1995)
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