Coolio‘s cause of death has been confirmed. The “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper died due to fentanyl, his manager Jarel (Jarez) Posey confirmed to Variety. The rapper’s family said he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system.
Coolio passed away at the age of 59 on Sept. 28. The Grammy-Award winning rapper, whose full name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was in Los Angeles visiting a friend when he died, according to his longtime manager, who also confirmed Coolio’s passing to The New York Times. Coolio’s friend apparently found the rapper lying on the bathroom floor and called the paramedics, who tried reviving Coolio, before they sadly pronounced him dead at the scene around 5pm.
Coolios’ label Casual issued a statement to HollywoodLife shortly after the rapper’s death. “We are honored to be a part of Coolio’s musical family. Coolio is a legend who has inspired a generation of artists to unapologetically share their visions with the world,” said Jen Pearce at the label. “We are beyond grateful Coolio shared his talents with us, and at the same time, we are extremely saddened to be a bookend on his amazing musical journey,” she added.
So many celebrities mourned Coolio’s death on social media. Quest Love, Ice Cube, Stevie J, and Weird Al Yankovic were just some of the famous names to share heartfelt tributes to Coolio and remember the legendary rapper’s legacy. Fans also shared their sadness at Coolio’s passing in the comments section of his final Instagram post, which included a video of him from behind performing to a cheering crowd.
Coolio found his stage name by luck in his early years of rapping when someone at a rap competition called him “Coolio Iglesias.” His sophomore album, Gangsta’s Paradise, won the Grammy in 1996 for Best Solo Rap Performance and was nominated for Best Song of the Year. Before his death, Coolio had eight studio albums to his name. He struggled with drug addiction earlier in his career and eventually went to rehab to get help for himself.