Coolio was, first and foremost, a rapper. But the “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “C U When U Get There” legend was also an actor. His long filmography includes Fox-then-Comedy Central-then-Hulu’s Futurama, where he voiced Kwanzaa-Bot. Before his death last September at 59 years old, he recorded a final appearance as Kwanzaa’s counterpart to Robot Santa and the Chanukah Zombie. That episode, “I Know What You Did Next Xmas,” premiered today on Hulu.
In one scene, Kwanzaa-Bot and the Chanukah Zombie try to teach some kids that there’s “a holiday for everyone,” but all they care about is X-Mas (don’t call it Christmas). Kwanzaa-Bot later returns in a post-credits scene, which you can watch above, where Coolio raps his “Futurama Xmas list for 3023.”
The song goes:
Gimme 12 Slurms a-slurping
11 Benders burping
10 episodes dropping
9 Scruffys mopping
8 Leelas drinking
7 Zoidbergs stinking
Chanukah and Kwanzaa, share a single stanza
Time traveling chumps
A 40 ounce of nog
Fry’s dead dog
2 turtle-duckens
And a voice over credit for me
The episode ends with a sweet tribute:
hulu
“All of us at Futurama send our sincere condolences to Coolio’s family, friends, and fans. He was one of our favorite guests, always upbeat,” Futurama producer David X. Cohen said when Coolio died. “This news was especially shocking since he looked and sounded great when we saw him in the studio just a few weeks ago, for what was an especially fun session. I thanked him for returning to do the part once again, and he said, ‘Everybody loves KwanzaaBot.’ It was an honor to have gotten the chance to work with him.”
You can watch Futurama on Hulu. Check out more below:
The highly anticipated posthumous album LONG LIVE COOLIO continues to honor the legendary rapper as the estate, alongside 1 Pic Entertainment and Strategic Media Entertainment/Intercept Music, releases the album’s second single on major streaming platforms. Titled “A Star Is Born,” the track showcases Coolio’s journey to fame, accompanied by the distinct vocal contributions of Treach from Naughty by Nature, MC Shan, and DJ Wino, who had a long-standing collaboration with Coolio.
To complement the release, a captivating music video for “A Star Is Born” has been unveiled, directed by Ken Francis and Niknotti. The video not only features appearances from Treach, MC Shan, and DJ Wino but also includes behind-the-scenes photos and videos that pay tribute to Coolio’s enduring legacy.
“It takes time for a star to develop and shine,” said DJ Wino. “Coolio was known for his hairstyle and rhymes, Coolio’s star will continue to shine until the end of time.”
Treach added, “Coolio’s music transcends time and space, his unique style and sound has left an indelible mark on hip-hop. He’s a true pioneer and a legend in his own right.”
LONG LIVE COOLIO serves as a testament to the rapper’s influence and impact on the West Coast-inspired sound, ensuring that his music and artistic contributions continue to resonate with fans and new listeners alike.
Rapper Artis Leon Ivey Jr., known by his moniker Coolio, sadly passed away last year. Born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, Coolio grew up in Compton, California. This is where he would attend community college, got a headstart in Hip-Hop in the ’80s, and broke into the mainstream in the ’90s. The rapper held hefty titles, namely producer, musician, and actor. His first taste of fame was with the group WC and the Maad Circle, which comprised Coolio, Big Gee DJ Crazy Toones, and WC. The Hip-Hop collective devised by WC released phenomenal albums Ain’t a Damn Thang Changed in 1991. Later, Curb Servin’ arrived in 1995.
Coolio’s music career began in 1987 when he released “Whatcha Gonna Do.” He later released another banger in 1988, “What Makes You Dance (Force Groove),” featuring Nu-Skool. In 1994 shortly after WC left their rap group, Coolio signed to the independent label Tommy Boy Records. But soon, Coolio was discarded because of unpropitious sales of his third album. He turned to newer paths and formed a name for himself on TV. Later in his career, he became a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother 6, where he won 3rd place. Coolio kept up his reality tv star title until 2019.
Additionally, philanthropy became another suited endeavor he pursued. Coolio and a fellow artist friend, Jazz saxophonist Jarez, were spokespersons for Environmental Justice and Climate Change to teach students at HBCUs about global warming. Lamentably, the rapper died in September 2022 after being found unconscious on a bathroom floor. But what actually caused his untimely death? It’s been seven months, and the answers have been shared.
A Timeline Of Coolio’s Death
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 10: Rapper Coolio poses for a portrait at the SiriusXM Studios on September 10, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)
On Wednesday afternoon in September 2022, Coolio was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor. The captain of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Erik Scott, told CNN about the rescue call. He confirmed that his paramedics and firefighters received a call at 4:00 pm. They immediately performed emergency resuscitation for about 45 minutes. Moreover, Captain Scott confirmed Coolio died just before 5:00 pm that evening.
In addition, an autopsy report was conducted on the following day. Unfortunately, at the time, there was no apparent cause for the rapper’s death. Later, Coolio’s talent manager Sheila Finegan said, “We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client.” She continued, “He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly.” Also, “Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing.”
Heartfelt Messages From Coolio’s Peers
More of his Hollywood peers, such as actor Lou Diamond Phillips, gave their condolences on his Twitter. “I am absolutely stunned,” he started. “Coolio was a friend and one of the warmest, funniest people I’ve ever met… We spent an amazing time together making Red Water in Capetown. And we loved going head to head in the kitchen. He was one of a kind.” He ended the tweet, “Epic, Legendary and I’ll miss him.”
Further, NBA player Matt Bonner shared his memories of Coolio on a Twitter post. “Huge hoops fan… we hosted him at a game a few years back… biggest crowd of all-time at a Spurs Overtime concert.” Additionally, close insiders reportedly disclosed that the rapper planned to dedicate a documentary to his children. The source mentioned that Coolio intended to honor them in future films.
Coolio developed a heart disease and asthma problem. They were induced by his long use of cigarettes, according to the family spokesperson, Jarez Posey. According to CBS News, the rapper also previous experimented with other illegal substances. According to reports by Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, Coolio’s death was induced by fentanyl and other drugs. The case detail pointed out the effects of heroin and methamphetamine as Cause A. Further, other vital conditions include cardiomyopathy, asthma, and recent phencyclidine use. In relation to cardiomyopathy, it is “a disease of the heart muscle.” It “makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.”
Regardless of the findings, Coolio is celebrated and sincerely missed. His legacy lives on through his family, friends, fans, and controbutions to the industry. He gave us classics that helped define an era in music, toured the world entertaining fans, and preached positivity. Rest In Power to a legend.
Coolio was found dead at a friend’s house in Los Angeles in September; paramedics initially suspected a heart attack, and law enforcement officials say they discovered no drugs or drug paraphernalia at the home. However, the coroner’s report also noted traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system. Investigators also believe that the rapper’s lifelong cigarette habit — which he maintained despite having severe asthma — contributed to his death.
Fentanyl has become a hot topic of discussion, debate, and potential legislation as the driver behind a number of high-profile deaths in the entertainment industry in the past decade. Fentanyl overdose was the cause of the deaths of legends like Prince and Tom Petty, underground rappers like Lil Peep, rap rising star Mac Miller, and actors like Michael K. Williams.
The danger of fentanyl overdose is attributed to its strength: Like other prescription painkillers, its dosage must be carefully controlled since even a slight overdose can be fatal. Unfortunately, that strength has made it attractive to illicit drug dealers who use it to increase the effect of counterfeit pills; however, because users often do not know that they’re taking fentanyl, it’s much easier for them to take too much.
With all that said, due to the high profile of the deaths it’s caused, fentanyl has become a convenient bogeyman for disingenuous politicians and public officials, feeding into a panic that actually makes battling the opioid epidemic much more difficult. For more information, you can check out the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Harm Reduction webpage.
Coolio’s new single, “TAG You It,” featuring West Coast rapper Too $hort, is the first of his posthumous music releases. The new single also previews the full-length album, Long Live Coolio expected to release soon but has no set date. Updated By: Nadya Nataly (3/16/23 at 2:00 pm) “TAG You It” is the late rapper […]
Months after Coolio passed away at age 59, it has been revealed that the rapper died without a will to control his estate.
According to The Blast, the “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper’s estate is estimated to be over $300,000. Assets reportedly include “personal property and demand deposit accounts, financial accounts, insurance policies and royalties.”
Coolio poses during the Bay Area Music Awards at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on March 7, 1998 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
His seven children, all adults, were listed as “probable beneficiaries” after Coolio died without a will in place. They are also named as his next of kin, with Coolio’s ex-manager filing a probate to appraise his estate.
The Los Angeles native shocked the hip-hop community in September when he suddenly passed away.
According to his manager, Coolio was visiting a friend’s home and excused himself to use their bathroom. After some time passed and the friend hadn’t heard back, they checked on him and discovered him on the ground. It is suspected that he suffered a heart attack prior to his death.
Following a brief hiatus, Coolio returned to the rap scene in 2021 with his single “Out Fa da Bag.” He rose to prominence in the ‘90s with his Kylian Mash collab “Gangsta’s Paradise” and for notably rapping on the theme song for Nickelodeon’s “Kenan and Kel.”
Per Billboard, the rapper spoke with the Crypto Island podcast shortly before his death and revealed a new side as he discussed his cryptocurrency knowledge.
“I am actually heavily invested into the metaverse,” he said. “I have a nice swath of land in the metaverse and barring the internet crashing or somebody dropping an EMP (electomagnetic pulse) on the whole world and there being no power, this would be a good deal.”
On the topic of climate change, Coolio revealed, “I’m not so much worried about it. By the time it gets to be a serious problem I’ll be long dead.”
The rapper leaves behind his seven children and a lasting rap legacy. R.I.P.
Coolio, best known for his 1995 hit song “Gangsta’s Paradise,” died at age 59 earlier this week. Following the news, many in the music industry posted tributes to the late rapper. However, one post caught fans’ attention, from none other than “Weird Al” Yankovic — who Coolio had a documented beef with in the ’90s.
The tension between the two started after Yankovic wanted to parody Coolio’s song, which eventually was released as 1996’s “Amish Paradise.” Coolio originally denied Yankovic’s request for the song, but given fair use laws, he couldn’t stop a parody from happening. Thus, the beef began. Coolio even threw in a line about Yankovic in his song “Throwdown 2000,” which appeared to be a diss.
By some point around the 2000s, Coolio and Yankovic had hung out and eventually put their drama aside. Yankovic even wanted the rapper to appear in his 2006 movie, Al’s Brain, but Coolio declined due to the financial aspect of the deal. Prior to his passing, he even noted that he found Yankovic (and the parody of his song) hilarious.
“Let me say this: I apologized to Weird Al a long time ago and I was wrong,” Coolio told Vicein 2014. “Y’all remember that, everybody out there who reads this sh*t. Real men and real people should be able to admit when they’re wrong and I was wrong, bro. Come on, who the f*ck am I, bro?”
“He did parodies of Michael Jackson, he did parodies of all kinds of people and I took offense to it because I was being cocky and sh*t and being stupid and I was wrong and I should’ve embraced that sh*t and went with it,” he continued. “I listened to it a couple years after that and it’s actually funny as sh*t. It’s one of those things where I made a wrong call and nobody stopped me. That’s one thing I’m still upset about — my management at the time. Somebody should’ve stopped me from making that statement because it was dumb. And I think it hurt me a little bit. It made me seem stupid.”
Despite their beef history, Coolio and Yankovic still maintained a clear respect for one another.
After being unresponsive in a friend’s bathroom, EMTs attempted 45 minutes of emergency CPR to revive Coolio.
Coolio passed away Wednesday at a home in downtown Los Angeles. Coolio went into the bathroom, and after not emerging after a while, the concerned friend found the rapper on the floor.
According to TMZ, EMTs attempted to give CPR for nearly an hour before declaring the rapper dead.
According to Coolio’s manager, the rapper was visiting Los Angeles for business involving his passport. He was currently residing in Las Vegas. Coolio needed a passport office to resolve an issue that could prevent him from traveling to Germany for two scheduled shows this weekend. The manager believes Coolio had a heart attack.
