Gut-Wrenching Details Of Coolio's Death Emerge
Rapper Coolio, who was best known for his popular single "Gangsta's Paradise," tragically died on September 28 at 59 years old, per ABC News. The day was reportedly as normal as any other — Coolio went to visit a friend in Los Angeles, but things, unfortunately, took a dark turn. The rapper was found unresponsive after not coming out of the bathroom for some time, and medics were immediately called to the scene where he was eventually pronounced dead. According to TMZ, law enforcement did not find any "drugs or drug paraphernalia" in the home, and although an investigation was opened following Coolio's death, authorities do not suspect foul play at this time.
Sheila Finegan, one of Coolio's representatives, released a statement following his death: "He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly. Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing," (via ABC News).
Countless artists and creatives in the entertainment industry have shared their condolences online. LL Cool J tweeted, "Rest in power my brother. @Coolio Love & Respect." "Weird Al" Yankovic, who famously parodied the rapper's hit "Gangsta's Paradise," simply tweeted "RIP Coolio" with a photo of the pair embracing. Now, new unfortunate details about the rapper's tragic death have been shared.
Emotional details about Coolio's death have emerged
After Coolio was found unresponsive in his friend's downtown Los Angeles home, paramedics arrived on the scene and did everything they could to save the iconic rapper. According to a new report by TMZ, EMTs desperately tried to revive Coolio and performed CPR on him for approximately 45 minutes before he was unfortunately pronounced dead. The 59-year-old resided in Las Vegas but was visiting California to attend to matters with his passport, which he needed to be addressed before the upcoming shows he had scheduled in Europe.
Coolio's manager told TMZ that the rapper appears to have suffered a heart attack, but the outlet was unable to confirm the validity of that statement. "As far as what I know now is that he was at a friend's house and was in his bathroom and had a heart attack," Jarez Posey, Coolio's manager, said in a statement, per CNBC. The official cause of death has yet to be confirmed, although "paramedics suspect cardiac arrest," according to Entertainment Tonight. The Los Angeles coroner's office will be working to determine the cause of death in the following weeks.
Michelle Pfeiffer, who collaborated with the rapper in the past, posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram and concluded her message by saying, "Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr." According to the New York Post, Coolio is survived by his 10 children.
Coolio lived with chronic asthma
Although his manager suspected that Coolio died of a potential heart attack, the only health problem that Coolio acknowledged prior to his death was his chronic illness. From a young age, Coolio has dealt with chronic asthma. This became widespread news in 2016 when the rapper had an asthma attack on stage and was miraculously saved by an audience member who carried an inhaler, per Page Six. He told USA Today in 2002 (via Mirror) that he has suffered asthma attacks that were potentially fatal.
"I still played sports, but I would just have attacks and have to be hospitalized every now and then," Coolio explained. "It's still a balancing act ... You have to know your medications and you have to take them, but it can be a real challenge — especially in school." He further added that he "had to realize I had a chronic disease which needs to be treated for as long as necessary."
According to his website, Coolio served as a spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America, which is a non-profit that helps study and advocate for people with both asthma and life-threatening allergies. The AAFA states that "black children are nearly three times more likely to have asthma compared to white children." Their research also shows that black adults have the most asthma attacks per year in America.
The world mourns the man, the myth, the legend
The news of Coolio's death sent shockwaves through the world — not only because he is yet another talented celebrity who died in 2022, but because he touched many people throughout his life with his music, his art, and his infectious personality. Although he had mega-hits like "Gangsta's Paradise" and "C U When You Get There," Coolio was mostly described as a down-to-earth guy.
"An original member of the Maad Circle & Compton representative," wrote Passionweiss. "With an undeniable star quality, humor, charisma, and a gift for making street tales mainstream without sanitizing them."
Kel Mitchell — who knew Coolio through the theme song he wrote for "Kenan & Kel" — spoke on Instagram about his longtime friendship with the rapper. "Last thing you told me when we last spoke a few months ago, you told me you loved how I keep things positive and to keep doing that," Mitchell wrote." I will Coolio and thank you for sharing your light and your talent with us all and thank you for inspiring so many in your lyrics."