Current:Home > InvestCoolio's Cause of Death Revealed -Capitatum
Coolio's Cause of Death Revealed
Robert Brown View
Date:2025-04-06 00:08:09
Coolio's family is sharing what led to his death.
The "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper died due to fentanyl, family spokesperson Jarel (Jarez) Posey told TMZ on April 6. According to the rep, authorities informed Coolio's family that he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system at the time, and added that his asthma and cigarette use were factors as well.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner has officially ruled his cause of death as an accidental overdose of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, according to an autopsy report obtained by E! News.
Coolio, a father of six, died Sept. 28 at age 59 at a Los Angeles residence. His manager told NBC News later that day, "As far as what I know now is that he was at a friend's house and was in his bathroom and had a heart attack."
A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson told E! News that paramedics responding to a report of a medical emergency arrived at a home to find a man unresponsive and attempted to resuscitate him for 45 minutes. With consultation with a physician, the star was then pronounced dead.
A rep for the Los Angeles Police Department also said that the man appeared to have died of natural causes and that there were no evidence of foul play. Coolio's identity was later released by the coroner's office.
Many celebs paid tribute to Coolio after news of his death. Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred with the rapper in a music video for his No. 1 single "Gangsta's Paradise" from the soundtrack to her 1995 film Dangerous Minds, wrote on Instagram that she was "heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio." She added, "A life cut entirely too short."
Parody musician Weird Al Yankovic, whose 1996 parody of "Gangsta's Paradise," called "Amish Paradise," once drew criticism from the rapper, shared a photo on Twitter of himself hugging the rapper. In his post, which went viral, he wrote, "RIP Coolio."
Coolio, a native of Los Angeles, began his music career in the late '80s and rose to fame with the breakout single "Fantastic Voyage" from his 1994 debut solo album It Takes a Thief. But it was his single "Gangsta's Paradise" that made him an international superstar, partially thanks to the popularity of its music video, which aired on heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels around the world. The song won the star a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Coolio later released Gangsta's Paradise the album with the single as its lead track. The record, which was certified double Platinum, also contains the hits "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "Too Hot."
Coolio also appeared on reality TV over the past two decades. In 2008, he starred in his own series, Coolio's Rules. A year later, he was a housemate on season six of Celebrity Big Brother UK and later returned for Ultimate Big Brother. In 2012, he competed on the Food Network series Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. The following year, he and his then-girlfriend Mimi appeared on Wife Swap.
Amid his TV endeavors, Coolio continued his music career. In a July interview with the Irish Examiner, he revealed he was working on a collaboration with Christy Dignam of the Irish rock band Aslan.
"It's probably going to be a banger, I would imagine," the rapper told the newspaper. "I don't know if it's going to be dark and deep or if we're going to go clubby and happy—that remains to be seen. I'm more inclined with being dark and deep and still being a banger."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (81721)
Related
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced in the hit-and-run death of a retired police officer
- 18-year-old accused of shooting man 15 times, hiding body in air mattress: Court docs
- Gov. Laura Kelly calls for Medicaid expansion, offers tax cut plan that speeds up end of grocery tax
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Amy Schumer Unveils Topless Selfie With “40 Extra Lbs”
- California Gov. Newsom proposes some housing and climate cuts to balance $38 billion budget deficit
- Aaron Rodgers Will No Longer Appear on The Pat McAfee Show After Jimmy Kimmel Controversy
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- The Coquette Aesthetic Isn't Bow-ing Out Anytime Soon, Here's How to Wear It
Ranking
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- At CES 2024, tech companies are transforming the kitchen with AI and robots that do the cooking
- Ancient human DNA hints at why multiple sclerosis affects so many northern Europeans today
- Why oil in Guyana could be a curse
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Alabama can carry out nation's first execution using nitrogen gas, federal judge says
- Regulators are set to decide whether to OK a new bitcoin fund. Here’s what investors need to know
- Welcome to 'Baichella,' a mind-blowing, Beyoncé-themed 13th birthday party
Recommendation
The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
Germany approves the export of air-defense missiles to Saudi Arabia, underlining a softer approach
Kentucky Derby purse raised to $5 million for 150th race in May
Hangout Music Festival 2024 lineup: Lana Del Rey, Odesza, Zach Bryan to headline
Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2024: 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' score 4 nominations each
Taliban detains dozens of women in Afghanistan for breaking hijab rules with modeling
Longest currently serving state senator in US plans to retire in South Carolina