‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper Coolio Dies at Age 59

Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop’s biggest names of the 1990s with hits including “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” died Wednesday at age 59, his manager said.

Coolio died at Los Angeles' home of a longtime friend, Jarez Posey, a longtime manager, told The Associated Press. The cause of the death was not immediately known.

Coolio won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film “Dangerous Minds” that sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise” and was played constantly on MTV.

The Grammy was his greatest achievement and the culmination of his popularity. It was 1996 when he won the Grammy amid a fierce feud between hip-hop communities on both coasts. This would lead to the deaths of Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and other celebrities. soon after.

Coolio managed to stay above the conflict.

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

Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Monessen, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh. He then moved to Compton. As a teenager, he spent some time in Northern California. His mother sent him there because she thought the city was too dangerous.

Interviews with him revealed that he began rapping at age 15 and knew it was what he wanted to pursue. He would attend community college, work as a volunteer firefighter, and then dedicate himself to hip-hop.

His career took off with the 1994 release of his debut album on Tommy Boy Records, “It Takes a Thief.” It’s opening track, “Fantastic Voyage,” would reach No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A year later, “Gangsta’s Paradise” would become a No. With its dark opening lyrics, "Gangsta's Paradise" would become a No. 1 single.

“As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize there’s not much left, ‘cause I’ve been blastin’ and laughin’ so long, that even my mama thinks that my mind is gone.”

Reactions on the untimely death flooded social media.

“This is sad news,” Ice Cube said on Twitter. “I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace, @Coolio.”

“Weird Al” Yankovic tweeted “RIP Coolio” along with a picture of the two men hugging.

Coolio had said in an interview at the time it was released that he wasn’t cool with Yankovic’s 1996 “Gangsta’s Paradise” parody, “Amish Paradise.” But the two later made peace.

The rapper would never again have a song nearly as big as “Gangsta’s Paradise,” but had subsequent hits with 1996’s “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” (1996), and 1997’s “C U When U Get There.”

According to Luminate, his career album sales reached 4.8 million. There were 978 million streams of his songs on-demand. He would be nominated to six Grammys.

And with his distinctive persona he would become a cultural staple, acting occasionally, starring in a reality show about parenting called “Coolio’s Rules,” providing a voice for an episode of the animated show “Gravity Falls” and providing the theme music for the Nickelodeon sitcom “Kenan & Kel.”

He was also convicted in Stuttgart, Germany in 1998. The boutique shop owner claimed that he punched her after she tried to stop him taking merchandise without paying. He was sentenced with six months probation and a $30,000.

Josefa Salinas was his wife from 1996 to 2000. They had four children together.