Popular rapper Leon Ivey Jr, known professionally as Coolio is
dead; he died at the age of 59.
As BBC reports, the U.S. rapper, also known for the 1995 cult hit "Gangsta's Paradise," was found cold on the bathroom floor at a friend's home in Los Angeles.
The exact cause of his death on Wednesday has not yet been
announced, but his longtime manager Jarez Posey, who first broke the news, said
paramedics believe the artist may have suffered a cardiac arrest.
Coolio won a Grammy for "Gangsta's Paradise,"
which was part of the soundtrack for the movie "Dangerous Minds,"
starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
In a career that spanned more than four decades, Coolio recorded eight studio albums and won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.
Coolio's sudden death shocked some U.S. music icons such as
Snoop Dogg, MC Hammer, and Ice Cube as they expressed their sadness over his
passing.
MC Hammer described Coolio as "one of the nicest guys
he knows."
Snoop Dogg referenced Coolio's world-famous song in his own tribute, writing, "Gangstas paradise. RIP."
"This is sad news. I witnessed firsthand how this man
worked his way to the top of the industry," said fellow rapper and actor
Ice Cube.