Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (August 1, 1963 – September 28, 2022), known professionally as Coolio, was an American rapper, record producer, and actor.
Coolio achieved mainstream success in the mid-to-late 1990s with his albums It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta’s Paradise (1995), and My Soul (1997). Coolio best known for his 1995 Grammy Award-winning hit single “Gangsta’s Paradise” as well as other singles “Fantastic Voyage” (1994).
Coolio recorded his first single in 1987, titled “Whatcha Gonna Do?”. In 1994, Coolio signed to Tommy Boy Records and released his debut solo album It Takes a Thief. The lead single “Fantastic Voyage” received heavy rotation on MTV and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Fantastic Voyage” would become one of the biggest rap singles of the year.
In 1995, Coolio released “Gangsta’s Paradise”, featuring R&B singer L.V., for the film Dangerous Minds. It became one of the most successful rap songs of all time, topping on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the second-best-selling single of 1995 in the U.K. At the 1996 Grammy Awards, the song won Coolio a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
While at a friend’s house on September 28, 2022, Coolio was discovered unresponsive on a bathroom floor. First responders pronounced him dead on their arrival. His manager stated he appeared to have suffered a cardiac arrest.
Rest In Peace Rapper Coolio.
