Coolio’s Cause of Death Revealed
More than six months after the rapper’s unexpected loss, the cause of death for Coolio has been made public. Yahoo Entertainment can confirm that the Los Angeles county medical examiner ruled that Coolio, whose true name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Age-wise, he was 59.
The coroner lists additional relevant illnesses as cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), asthma, and “recent phencyclidine usage.” Phencyclidine, sometimes referred to as PCP or “angel dust,” is an illicit hallucinogen that is abused for fun.
Jarez Posey, Coolio‘s longtime manager, told TMZ that the rapper’s loved ones had just learned of the news and were preparing to pay tribute to him. Posey pointed out that Coolio’s decades-long smoking habit contributed to both his demise and his body’s incapacity to resist it. Posey described the performer’s asthma as being severe.
At a friend’s residence in Los Angeles on September 28, the rapper from “Gangsta’s Paradise” passed away. According to Posey, his client was discovered on the restroom floor comatose. According to the source, EMTs attempted to resuscitate the icon of the 1990s for 45 minutes before he was declared dead. At the time, according to law enforcement officials, the musician’s death was likely caused by cardiac arrest because no drugs or drug-related equipment had been discovered at the scene.
At the time of his death, Coolio was still on the road performing alongside Vanilla Ice and other artists as part of the “I Love the ’90s Tour.” The rapper was about to go to Germany for a concert. Over his career, Coolio produced several successes including “Fantastic Voyage” and “1,2,3,4”, but he is most recognized for penning the song “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which served as the soundtrack of the Dangerous Minds film. One of the best-selling singles ever, it. Michelle Pfeiffer, the star of the movie, was one among the celebrities who openly lamented Coolio.
She posted a picture of them from the “Gangstas Paradise” music video and said, “Heartbroken to learn of the demise of the great artist. “a life that was tragically cut short. I had the good fortune to collaborate with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995, as some of you may recall. He received a Grammy for his wonderful song on the soundtrack, which, in my opinion, contributed to the popularity of our movie. I recall him to be really nice. Even now, 30 years later, the song still gives me shivers. I’m sending his family my love and light. Artis Leon Ivey Jr., rest in power.”
Brandi, Jackie, Melan, Christopher, Artis III, Darius, and Artisha are Coolio’s six surviving children.