Coolio
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Coolio was a beloved rapper and actor who amassed a number of notable hits in the 1990s, and his passing last September left many of his fans and peers in shock. While speculation swirled heavily regarding the rapper’s cause of death, his manager has come forth with details.
Deadline obtained confirmation from the manager for Coolio, Jared Posey, who shared with the outlet that his client passed away from complications arising from exposure to the deadly substance fentanyl. In addition to fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamines were also found in his system.
He is best known for his Grammy Award-winning single “Gangsta’s Paradise” which appeared on the soundtrack for the film, Dangerous Minds. The Compton, Calif. native also dropped the hit single “Fantastic Voyage” in 1994, and was a member of WC and the Maad Circle.
Beyond music, Coolio appeared on the reality television series Big Brother and released the best-selling cookbook, Cookin’ with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price.
Coolio’s real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr. He was 59 at the time of his death.
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Back in September, the Hip-Hop world lost renowned “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper Coolio, who died at age 59 of causes still yet to be determined while visiting a friend in Los Angeles. Now, the late West Coast rapper’s assets are set to be divided between seven of his reported 10 children.
According to Mirror, Coolio, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., didn’t leave a will before he passed away, which left it up to his manager, Jarez Posey, to start legal proceedings to assess his estate, which is most likely to be inherited by his seven adult children who are listed as his next of kin. It’s a situation similar to that of actor Chadwick Boseman, who also died without leaving a will. (His estate ended up being divided between his widow and his parents.
According to Page Six, Posey’s petition estimated the value of Coolio’s estate to be more than $300,000. The petition states that Coolio’s exact wealth hasn’t been determined yet, but the $300K figure includes “personal property and demand deposit accounts, financial accounts, insurance policies and royalties.”
Mirror noted that while there still has been no official cause of death reported, “it is suspected his struggle with asthma could have contributed to his passing after he was found dead on a hotel floor.” Either way, he is missed and his contributions to Hip-Hop will forever be celebrated.
Rest well, Coolio. Our hearts go out to his family.
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