Rapper and actor Coolio, known for the Grammy winning song “Gangsta’s Paradise” died on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, of cardiac arrest. His manager, Jarez Posey, shared the news that Coolio was at a friend’s house, went into the bathroom, then was found unresponsive. Coolio was 59 years old.

Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. on August 1, 1963 in Monessen, Pennsylvania, then later moved to Compton, California. After he attended, Compton Community College, Coolio worked as a volunteer firefighter and worked as airport security before he became a rapper.

He released his debut album, It Takes a Thief, in 1994 featuring the hit “Fantastic Voyage,” which heavily sampled Lakeside’s early ‘80s hit of the same name.

A year later he saw huge success when “Gangsta’s Paradise” was released for the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. It was the No. 1 song of ’95 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. The Gangsta’s Paradise album was his best seller, with two million copies sold and a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.

Coolio recorded eight studio albums through 2009. His songs have appeared in multiple soundtracks, including multiple songs in the Janet Jackson led Poetic Justice, “I Remember” in Double Dragon, “Rollin’ with My Homies” in Clueless, and he recorded the theme song for Kenan & Kel. As an actor, Coolio was in Martin, All That, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Batman & Robin, Charmed, Daredevil, Futurama, and he had a few projects in the works.