Rapper Coolio who is known for the songs “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage” has died the age of 59. According to Capt. Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters and paramedics did respond to a call at 4p.m. on 2900 block of South Chesapeake Ave for reports of a medical emergency. When the firefighters and paramedics arrived they found Coolio unresponsive and spent 45 minutes resuscitating the artist. Coolio was pronounced dead at 5:00p.m.

Coolio’s talent manager Sheila Finegan released the following statement.

“We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon. He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly. Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolio’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.” said Finegan.

Another highlight in Coolio’s career was when he became highly recognized for his work on the theme song for the popular Nickelodeon TV series “Kenan and Kel” and he made a contribution to the album Dexter’s Laboratory: The Hip-Hop Experiment which featured songs by various hip-hop artists that were mesmerized by Cartoon Network’s show  Dexter’s Laboratory. Coolio loved making television appearances on reality shows such as “Celebrity Cook Off” and “Celebrity Chopped.”  Also the rapper  had a show on the television channel Oxygen that aired in 2008 called “Coolio’s Rules.”

“I wasn’t looking for a career, I was looking for a way to clean up – a way to escape the drug thing. It was going to kill me and I knew I had to stop. In firefighting training was discipline I needed. We ran every day. I wasn’t drinking or smoking or doing the stuff I usually did.” said Coolio

The rapper’s  biggest song was  “Gangsta’s Paradise” from the film Dangerous Minds. The tune helped Coolio become a well known celebrity and in 1996 Coolio won a grammy for “Gangsta’s Paradise.”