Coolio lifeless: ‘Gangsta’s Paradise,’ ‘Improbable Voyage’ rapper dies at 59 – Nationwide

Coolio, the rapper who was amongst hip-hop’s greatest names of the Nineties with hits together with Gangsta’s Paradise and Improbable Voyage, died Wednesday at age 59, his supervisor stated.

Coolio died on the Los Angeles residence of a good friend, longtime supervisor Jarez Posey instructed The Related Press. The trigger was not instantly clear.

Coolio gained a Grammy for greatest solo rap efficiency for Gangsta’s Paradise, the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer movie Harmful Minds that sampled Stevie Marvel’s 1976 tune Pastime Paradise and was performed consistently on MTV and MuchMusic.

The Grammy, and the peak of his reputation, got here in 1996, amid a fierce feud between the hip-hop communities of the 2 coasts, which might take the lives of Tupac Shakur and The Infamous B.I.G. quickly after.

Coolio managed to remain largely above the battle.

“I’d like to assert this Grammy on behalf of the entire hip-hop nation, West Coast, East Coast, and worldwide, united we stand, divided we fall,” he stated from the stage as he accepted the award.

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., in Monessen, Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh, Coolio moved to Compton, California. He spent a while as a teen in Northern California, the place his mom despatched him as a result of she felt town was too harmful.

He stated in interviews that he began rapping at 15 and knew by 18 it was what he wished to do along with his life, however would go to neighborhood faculty and work as a volunteer firefighter and in airport safety earlier than devoting himself full-time to the hip-hop scene.

His profession took off with the 1994 launch of his debut album on Tommy Boy Information, It Takes a Thief. It’s opening observe, Improbable Voyage, would attain No. 3 on the Billboard Scorching 100.

A 12 months later, Gangsta’s Paradise would develop into a No. 1 single, with its darkish opening lyrics:

“As I stroll by way of the valley of the shadow of demise, I check out my life and notice there’s not a lot left, ‘trigger I’ve been blastin’ and laughin’ so lengthy, that even my mama thinks that my thoughts is gone.”

Social media lit up with reactions to the surprising demise.

The rapper would by no means once more have a tune almost as large as Gangsta’s Paradise, however had subsequent hits with 1996′s 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New) (1996), and 1997′s C U When U Get There.

His profession album gross sales totalled 4.8 million, with 978 million on-demand streams of his songs, in keeping with Luminate. He could be nominated for six Grammys total.

And along with his distinctive persona he would develop into a cultural staple, appearing often, starring in a actuality present about parenting referred to as Coolio’s Guidelines, offering a voice for an episode of the animated present Gravity Falls and offering the theme music for the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel.

He had occasional authorized troubles, together with a 1998 conviction in Stuttgart, Germany, the place a boutique store proprietor stated he punched her when she tried to cease him from taking merchandise with out paying. He was sentenced to 6 months probation and fined $30,000.

He was married to Josefa Salinas from 1996 to 2000. That they had 4 youngsters collectively.