THE HEART-WRENCHING DEATH OF COOLIO
By JEAN MENDOZA
History - Science
Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey, Jr., has died at the age of 59. On September 28, 2022, TMZ reported that the rapper was in his friend's home in Los Angeles at the time of his death. Per his longtime manager, Jarez Posey, Coolio excused himself to go to the bathroom but was gone for a suspicious amount of time, which led his friend to knock on the door; there was no response.
The friend entered the bathroom to find Coolio lying on the floor and reportedly called emergency responders for help. It isn't clear whether Coolio had a pulse or was responsive at the time of their arrival, but he was declared dead at the scene. Responders suspect that he died of cardiac arrest, but an official cause of death is yet to be released.
Coolio was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, in 1963. He performed at rap competitions while in college, but his rap career was derailed due to cocaine addiction, and he had to go to rehab. His breakout hit was "Fantastic Voyage" from his 1994 debut album "It Takes a Thief," and the song most associated with him was "Gangsta's Paradise," part of his second album released in 1995.
Coolio appeared in a number of shows, including a YouTube cooking show titled "Cookin' with Coolio" and the reality TV show "Celebrity Bootcamp," which he won in 2002. He was a spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and supported associations like the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, the Reading Foundation, and Goodwill.