Coolio’s sudden death on Wednesday came as a surprise not just to his Hip Hop peers but also to his fans — particularly those who ran into him just days before his passing. As we previously reported, the “Gangster’s Paradise” rapper was found lying on the bathroom floor at a friend’s house in Los Angeles, with his manager later telling TMZ that paramedics believe he may have suffered from cardiac arrest.
What’s particularly sad about his passing was that there was no indication that the 59-year-old was having any sort of noticeable health problems pertaining to his heart, as TMZ notes how Coolio gleamingly posed for photos and mingled with fans just last week Friday, where one woman named Mika said he was in great spirits and “happy to take some pics, laughing and being very engaging.”
the way tv and hip-hop were so connected in the 90s is something i’ll never forget. and it gave us one of the best songs in the kenan and kel theme by coolio. rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/D4t9H28b1e
— nadirah (@hinadirah) September 29, 2022
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Coolio, who clearly adored his fans, even offered her and several friends tickets to his “I Love the ‘90s” show in Cyprus, Texas, that same night, assuring that he would sort VIP seatings for them if they wanted to attend. But the group said they had to respectfully decline because the event was simply “too far” away from where they lived. It was the last time Coolio would grace the stage for a live show before his death less than a week later.
Vanilla Ice, who was also part of the show in Texas, told TMZ how devastated and shocked he was when he found out the news of Coolio’s passing. The pair have been friends for decades and would often hang out together in Ice’s dressing room before hitting the stage and performing for their thousands of fans.
Even the 54-year-old said that Coolio appeared to be in great shape during their last few encounters, which made his death that much harder to comprehend. Ice recounted that the last words he heard Coolio telling him were, “See you tomorrow, homie.”
Remember when Coolio did a gig in Preston, ran into a group of random students outside afterwards and went back to their place, where he made Caprese Salad, Chicken á la Daaaamn and Peach Crumble, and they jammed Gangster’s Paradise. What a guy. pic.twitter.com/kA4UvZ4bHq
— Sean (@shornKOOMINS) September 29, 2022
Paramedics were said to have performed CPR on the “C U When U Get There” hitmaker for 45 minutes before pronouncing him dead.
As previously mentioned, his family is still waiting for an official cause of death, even though cardiac arrest is already being suspected of what untimely took Coolio’s life at his acquaintance’s apartment. He is survived by his ex-wife Josefa Salina and his six children.