Gangsta’s Paradise rapper Coolio’s cause of death revealed: accidental fentanyl overdose
Gangsta’s Paradise rapper Coolio’s cause of death has finally been revealed following his sudden death at the age of 59 in September 2022.
The musician, who was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died of an accidental fentanyl overdose, his manager confirmed.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Coolio’s biggest hit Gangsta’s Paradise.
Stream the world’s top reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >>
Traces of heroin and methamphetamine were also found in his system, manager Jarel “Jarez” Posey confirmed to the New York Post.
He said investigators also found Coolio’s severe asthma and long-standing smoking habit were also factors.
The musician was visiting a friend when he died suddenly on Sept. 28, according to a TMZ report.
Posey told the publication at the time Coolio went to the bathroom and “when he didn’t come out after a while,” they found him on the floor.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics dispatched to the home reportedly believed he had gone into cardiac arrest.
Just four hours before the suspected time of his death, the 59-year-old shared a video of his last appearance on social media.
According to a biography on his official website, Coolio grew up in Compton, California.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 1994, he recalled getting into the drug scene but fighting his way out through a career as a firefighter.
“I wasn’t looking for a career, I was looking for a way to clean up — a way to get away from the drug thing,” he told the publication.
“It would kill me and I knew I had to stop.
“There was discipline in firefighting training that I needed. We walked every day.
“I didn’t drink or smoke or do the things I normally do.”
His rap career took off in the 1980s and he rose to fame in the underground scene.
Fantastic Voyage was the first song that really made him famous.
But it was Gangsta’s Paradise, from the soundtrack to the film Dangerous Minds, that grew its star power to gargantuan proportions.
He won a Grammy for the song in 1996.
It lives on in the age of streaming.
In July 2022, the song reached a milestone of one billion views on YouTube.
“It’s one of those songs that lasts for generations,” he said in a recent interview.
“I didn’t use trendy words … I think it made it timeless.”
In an unusual twist for a rap song, Gangsta’s Paradise contained no curses at all.
That’s because it contained a sample from a song by Stevie Wonder, who wouldn’t allow “profanity” in songs that sample his work.
According to his website, Coolio has sold more than 17 million records over the course of his career.
Despite this, and Gangsta’s Paradise’s enduring popularity, Coolio would never again reach the same heights of commercial success.
According to unconfirmed reports, his net worth was estimated at around $2.3 million at the time of his death.
Coolio also holds a special place in the hearts of some millennials for his work on the theme song for the popular Nickelodeon TV series Kenan and Kel and his contribution to the album Dexter’s Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment, which features songs from various hip-hop hop genres. Artist inspired by the Cartoon Network animated series.
Recently, Coolio has enjoyed the perks of being a nostalgic character, having made television appearances on shows such as Celebrity Cook Off and Celebrity Chopped.
He also had a show on Oxygen, Coolio’s Rules, which aired in 2008.
– With CNN
Visit 7Life on Facebook for more engaging celebrity content.
