Iconic rappers Snoop Dogg, MC Hammer and Ice Cube have all paid tribute to Coolio after the news of his death was announced.
The chart-topping names led the way with their messages of condolence as it was revealed that Coolio – real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr – had sadly passed away at the age of 59.
The Gangstas Paradise rapper’s death was confirmed by his manager on Wednesday as friends of the Celebrity Big Brother star remembered him on social media.
READ MORE: Gangsta’s Paradise rapper Coolio dies aged 59 in his ‘mate’s bathroom’
Snoop Dogg shared a picture of their pair on the set of the video shoot for their 2006 track Gangsta Walk, as well as mentioning Coolio’s most famous track as he paid tribute to him writing: “Gangstas paradise. R I P.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, former NWA star Ice Cube referenced the hard work Coolio put in to making his career a success as he tweeted his own message.
He shared: “This is sad news. I witnessed first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio.”
MC Hammer also shared fond memories of the star as he described Coolio as “one of the nicest dudes I’ve known”.
He then shared a black and white photo of him, writing: “Good people. RIP Coolio.”
He later posted a second picture of himself with Coolio, alongside Tupac and Snoop Dogg.
(Image: Getty Images)
Public Enemy star Flava Flav posted: “Coolio was the West Coast Flavor Flav, he loved telling everyone that.
“We was supposed to perform together this Tuesday. RIP my friend. Rest in Gangsta’s Paradise my friend.”
Questlove shared a black and white picture on Instagram as he wrote: “Peaceful journey brother.”
Vanilla Ice admitted to fans on Twitter: “I’m freaking out I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away.”
(Image: Getty Images)
And famed US rapper LL Cool J wrote: “Rest in power my brother. @Coolio Love and Respect.”
Coolio shot to fame worldwide in 1995 when Gangsta’s Paradise featured on the soundtrack for Michelle Pfeiffer’s Box Office smash Dangerous Minds.
The track reached No1 in dozens of countries around the world including the UK. It topped the US Billboard chart and went on to become the best-selling single of 1995.
Coolio remained at No1 in Australia for 14 weeks, a record that was only broken 22 years later by Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You.
(Image: Michelle Pfeiffer/Instagram)
Gangsta’s Paradise has sold more than 5million copies in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany and was listed as No85 in Billboard’s Greatest Songs Of All Time.
The single was one of the only songs released by Coolio to contain no swearing due to it featuring a sample of Stevie Wonder’s 1976 track Pastime Paradise.
Coolio previous explained how Stevie did not want profanities used to the soundtrack of his song.
He said: “I had a few vulgarities… and he wasn’t with that. So I changed it. Once he heard it, he thought it was incredible.”
For more of the latest showbiz news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
READ NEXT:
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
