What was Coolio’s cause of death? Tributes pour in as ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ hitmaker passes away at 59

Popular rapper Coolio passed away on September 28 at the age of 59. The rapper's manager, Jarez Posey, revealed the news and said that the former died at a friend's residence.

Sheila Finegan, his manager at Trinity Artists International, also announced the news and said that the rapper "touched the world with the gift of his talent." Finegan added:

"He will be missed profoundly. Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolio's loved ones in your thoughts and prayers."

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Coolio's cause of death explored

The artist, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died while visiting a friend. Jarez said that the rapper went to the bathroom but didn't come out for a long time. That was when his friend broke into the bathroom and found the rapper unresponsive on the floor.

Posey added that paramedics believe that Coolio may have died following a cardiac arrest but the official cause of death is yet to be determined.

Law enforcement sources have also stated that drug and drug paraphernalia wasn't found on the spot. They noted that an autopsy and toxicology test will disclose the main cause of his death. Paramedics arrived at the rapper's friend's house at around 4 pm and announced that the former was dead on location.

Some new updates say that an investigation has been launched but there were no signs of foul play. The coroner is expected to reveal detailed information after an autopsy.

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Coolio has appeared on several reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother

Coolio was a rapper, record producer and actor (Image via John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Born on August 1, 1963, Coolio enrolled at Compton Community College and initially joined as a volunteer firefighter and security at Los Angeles International Airport.

His first song was recorded in 1987 and he joined WC and the Maad Circle in 1991. The rapper joined Tommy Boy Records in 1994 and released his first album, It Takes a Thief. The album reached the 8th spot on Billboard 200 and the singles were loved by the audience.

He then released a single Gangsta's Paradise in 1995, which remained on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Gangsta's Paradise was included in his next album, released in 1995 and it sold around 2 million copies worldwide.

The band Falling in Reverse performed a cover of Gangsta's Paradise in 2014 and Artis was featured in the music video. His third album, My Soul, was released in 1997 and although it went platinum, it failed to repeat the success of the first two albums.

The artist was dropped from Tommy Boy Records and he released a few singles that did not receive a positive response from the audience. He was then featured in a collaboration track by rapper Blacklisted MC, titled F**k the DJ.

He participated in the German talent show Comeback – Die grobe Chance in 2004 followed by Celebrity Big Brother in 2009. He appeared on other reality shows like Ultimate Big Brother, Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off and Wife Swap, among others. He played minor roles in shows like The Nanny and Black Jesus.

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Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

When people heard about the rapper's death, Twitter was flooded with tributes for Coolio, who was popular thanks to his hit albums and singles. While some remembered him for the iconic Kenan & Kel song that he'd created, others said that the rapper had an "undeniable star quality" to him.

His survivors include his six kids, whose identities are yet to be revealed.