'Gangsta's Paradise' rapper Coolio passes away at 59

US rapper Coolio, best known for his 1995 song 'Gangsta's Paradise', is no more. He was 59.

US rapper Coolio, best known for his 1995 song 'Gangsta's Paradise', is no more. He was 59. The news of Coolio's demise was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by his manager. The manager informed that the rapper died on Wednesday afternoon at a friend's house in Los Angeles.

"He went to use the bathroom and never came out," he said. The cause of death is not known yet. Coolio rose to fame in the mid 1990s with three of his albums -- It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta's Paradise (1995) and My Soul (1997) -- crossing over into the mainstream, driven by a clutch of more chart-friendly singles, including "Fantastic Voyage," "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "C U When U Get There." He had won Grammy Award for 'Gangsta's Paradise'.

He had also composed song for the 1996-2000 Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel, starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell; voiced the character Kwanzaa-bot on Futurama; and appeared in such movies as Dear God (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), Submerged (2000) and Stealing Candy (2003). Coolio was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh. He then moved to California where he attended community college. He also worked as a volunteer firefighter and in airport security before devoting himself full-time to the hip-hop scene.

According to his IMDb page, Coolio had three movies in the works: Rob Margolies' "Bobcat Moretti," a monster film called "It Wants Blood 2" and a TV movie "Vegas High." Coolio also continued to perform, having just recently played a set at Chicago's Riot Fest on September 18, Variety reported. (ANI)