Los Angeles — Coolio, the rapper who was among the biggest names in hip-hop in the 1990s with hits like “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” died Wednesday at the age of 59, his manager said.
Collio died at a friend’s home in Los Angeles, veteran manager Jerez Posey told The Associated Press. The reason was not immediately clear, but police said there were no signs of tampering.
Coolio won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 hit song from the soundtrack to Michelle Pfeiffer’s movie “Dangerous Minds” sampled from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise” and played consistently on MTV.
The Grammy, and the height of its popularity, came in 1996, amid a fierce feud between the hip-hop communities of the two coasts, which would claim the lives of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. soon after.
Coolio manages to stay above the struggle for the most part.
“I would like to claim this Grammy on behalf of the entire hip-hop nation, West Coast, East Coast, and around the world, united, divided we fall,” he said on stage as he accepted the award.
Born Artis Leon Ivy Jr., in Monsin, Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh, Coolio moved to Compton, California. He spent some time as a teenager in Northern California, where his mother sent him because she felt the city was too dangerous.
He said in interviews that he started rapping at the age of 15 and knew by 18 that this was what he wanted to do with his life, but that he would go to community college and work as a volunteer firefighter and in airport security before devoting himself full time to hip. -the scene.
His career took off with the 1994 release of his debut album on Tommy Boy Records, “It Takes a Thief”. The inaugural track “Fantastic Journey” would reach number three on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
A year later, “Gangsta’s Paradise” became the number one song, with its dark opening lyrics:
“As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I look back on my life and realize there isn’t much left, ’cause I’ve been blowing up and laughing ‘for so long, my mom thinks my mind is gone.'”
Social media sparked reactions to the unexpected death.
“This is sad news,” Ice Cube said on Twitter. “I witness myself grinding this guy to the top of the industry. Rest in peace, @coleo.”
Jankovi? “The Stranger” tweeted “RIP Coolio” with a picture of the two men embracing.
Coolio had said in an interview at the time of his release that he wasn’t kind to Yankovic’s 1996 “Gangsta’s Paradise” parody, “Amish Paradise.” But the two made peace later.
The rapper would never again have a big hit like “Gangsta’s Paradise,” but had subsequent hits with the 1996 hits “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” (1996) and 1997’s “CU When U Get There.”
His professional albums sales totaled 4.8 million, with 978 million on-demand songs, according to Luminate. It will be nominated for six Grammys overall.
With his distinct personality, he would become a cultural staple, acting occasionally, starring in a reality show about parenting called “Coleo Rules”, providing the voice for an episode of the animated show “Gravity Falls” and providing the lead music for the Nickelodeon sitcom “Kanaan”. & agent”.
He had occasional legal problems, including his 1998 conviction in Stuttgart, Germany, in which a shopkeeper said he punched her when she tried to stop him from taking merchandise without paying. He was sentenced to six months in prison and a $30,000 fine.
He was married to Josefa Salinas from 1996 to 2000. They have four children together.
ABC OTV stations contributed to this report
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