The 1990s' iconic rapper Coolio, known for his hit song "Gangsta's Paradise," has died, his reps confirmed on Wednesday, September 28. He was 59.
His longtime manager Jarez Posey detailed the events before they discovered his lifeless body. So, what caused Coolio's death?
At the time, Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was visiting a friend when he suddenly died. Posey told TMZ the rapper went to the bathroom, and after not going for a long period of time, his pal started to get worried. He tried to call his name but to no avail.
So, the unidentified friend went inside the bathroom to check and found Coolio lying on the floor. An ambulance was quickly called for a medical emergency around 4 p.m. When the EMTs arrived, they pronounced the record producer dead.
There are no official words yet about the "C U When U Get There" hitmaker's cause of death, but the paramedics strongly believed he suffered a cardiac arrest. Law enforcement also cleared to TMZ that no drugs or paraphernalia were seen at the scene.
However, an autopsy and toxicology test will still be used to determine the real cause of his death. The police reportedly opened a death investigation, but there were no signs of any foul play found as of this writing. Anyhow, sources told TMZ the coroner would make the final call after the autopsy was done.
Coolio's unexpected death came a week after he posted his latest performance in Texas on Instagram. As expected, fans filled his post with condolences, remembering the late actor and honoring his life.
Many wrote "rest in peach" in the comment section, with one saying, "rest in paradise." Others called him "legend" and "legendary."
Coolio started his career in the 1980s and rose to prominence after the release of his hit song "Gangsta's Paradise" in 1995. The track became the official soundtrack of the movie "Dangerous Minds" and earned him the 1996 Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
He released eight solo albums from 1994 to 2009 and also tried his hands at acting. He appeared in the 1997 movie "Batman & Robin" with George Clooney; "Get Over It" with Kirsten Dunst in 2001; and "Daredevil" with Ben Affleck in 2003.
He also made TV appearances in "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "The Nanny," "Charmed," and "Teachers."
Coolio was survived by his wife, Josefina Salinas, to whom he was married from 1996 to 2000, and their four kids, Artisha, Brandi, Jackie, and Artis, who joined him on the 2008 reality series "Coolio's Rules."
