Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper, Dead at 59 – Report

Coolio has reportedly died.

Tonight (Sept. 28), TMZ has reported that Coolio has died at the age of 59.

The “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper’s manager Jarez reportedly told the Hollywood gossip site that Coolio was visiting a friend when he passed. The rapper allegedly went into his friend’s bathroom, but never came out. Paramedics were called, but Coolio was pronounced dead at the scene. Jarez told TMZ he died of cardiac arrest, although an official cause of death has yet to be determined.

XXL has reached out to Jarez for further confirmation.

Coolio had major mainstream success in the 1990s, primarily with his hit single “Gangsta’s Paradise.” The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1995, the year it was released. The track won Coolio a Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Performance. It has since been certified double-platinum in the United States, and also sold millions of additional units worldwide.

The song was the title track to Coolio’s breakthrough album, which also featured two other successful singles: “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “Too Hot,” the latter of which featured J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang on the hook. Gangsta’s Paradise is also certified double-platinum, with over two million units sold in the United States alone.

The MC released a total of eight studio albums, beginning with It Takes a Thief in 1994 and ending with what would be his final LP, From the Bottom 2 the Top in 2009. Outside of music, Coolio appeared as an actor in various films, including the 1997 adaptation of Batman & Robin.