‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ rapper Coolio has died, he was 59 years old

Rapper Coolio, who enjoyed a string of hits in the 1990s, has died aged 59.

The musician was reportedly visiting a friend’s house when he went to visit the bathroom. When he did not return friends became concerns and discovered he had passed away. His death is being treated a suspected heart-attack.

Coolio first found success in 1994 with his single Fantastic Voyage which featured on his debut album It Takes a Thief.

His greatest success would come the following year when he created the song Gangsta’s Paradise which featured in the film Dangerous Minds. 

The video clip which featured actress Michelle Pfeifer received a lot of air play on music channels like MTV and Channel V. The song features elements of Stevie Wonder’s 1970’s hit Pastime Paradise.

The song spent 13 weeks at the top the Australian charts. A feat that has only been beat by four other artists.   

Coolio would go on to have more success with songs including 1,2,3,4 (Sumpin New), Too Hot and C U When U Get There – which borrowed the melody of Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D. 

Over his career Coolio released eight studio albums, his most recent being 2009’s From the Bottom 2 the Top. While he had stopped making new music, the rapper was touring regularly.

The artist, who was born Artis Leon Ivey Jnr, is survived by six children, four of them with his former wife Josefa Salinas.

OIP Staff

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