The Truth About Coolio's Health Problems
Artis Leon Ivey Jr., aka "Coolio," died on September 28. According to CNN, Los Angeles Fire Department captain Erik Scott said that they tried to resurrect the rapper for about 45 minutes, but was pronounced dead a little bit before 5 p.m.
"We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon," Sheila Finegan, Coolio's talent manager, said in a released statement. "He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly." Finegan also thanked the people who listened to Coolio's music, and for all of the love and support from everyone after hearing that he passed away.
Jarez told TMZ that the "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper was at a friend's house. He had gone to the bathroom and didn't come out after a concerning period of time had passed. When the friend called for the rapper, there was no response, and was eventually found on the floor. Paramedics suspect that he died of cardiac arrest, but the cause of death is not officially known. But what some people don't know is that this isn't the first time the rapping legend's life was at risk, as he almost died numerous times from a common respiratory condition.
Coolio had chronic asthma
Although the suspected cause of death was cardiac arrest, Coolio had asthma. He was diagnosed as a child, and he was hospitalized from having attacks every now and then. "I had a few episodes with asthma where I was in serious trouble and could have died," the rapper told USA Today in 2002, via Mirror. "I had to realize I had a chronic disease which needs to be treated for as long as necessary." He also mentioned that he played sports as a child and he struggled a lot with it in school. "It's still a balancing act," he added.
In 2016, the rapper had a health scare onstage. According to Page Six, he was performing a five-song set in New York, and had an asthma attack in the middle of a song. "Coolio was having problems with his asthma," a concert-watcher said. They mentioned that a fan lent the rapper their inhaler, which he used in between verses of "Gangsta's paradise."
Besides asthma, the "C U When You Get There" rapper also struggled with drug addiction. According to the New York Times, he became a firefighter to overcome the addiction. He was also a spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergies Foundation, per Coolio World.