CooÂlio, the AmerÂiÂcan rapÂper best known for his Gangstaâs ParÂadise hits, has died at the age of 59.
His longÂtime manÂagÂer, Jarez Posey, told US media that the artist was found unreÂsponÂsive on the bathÂroom floor of a friendâs house in Los Angeles.
CooÂlio, who startÂed his music career in the 1980s, released âGangstaâs ParÂadiseâ in 1995 and carved his name into hip-hop history.
The exact cause of death was still unknown as of Wednesday.
But Posey told TMZ, which first reportÂed the news, that paraÂmedics thought he might have gone into carÂdiac arrest.
CooÂlio, whose real name is Artis Leon Avie Jr., won a GramÂmy Award for âGangstas ParÂadise,â which was includÂed on the soundÂtrack to the movie DanÂgerÂous Minds, starÂring Michelle Pfeiffer.
The poignant song is still wideÂly played, and accordÂing to its offiÂcial site, it has just surÂpassed 1 bilÂlion streams on Spotify.
DurÂing his 40-year career, he recordÂed eight stuÂdio albums and won an AmerÂiÂcan Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.
His hits include âFanÂtasÂtic VoyÂage,â âRollinâ With My Homies,â â1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpinâ New),â and âToo Hot.â
Active until death: CooÂlio has toured with 90âs stars like VanilÂla Ice and Young MC, and just played in Texas a few days ago.
VanilÂla Ice wrote on TwitÂter, âShe is devÂasÂtatÂed to learn that her best friend CooÂlio has passed away.â
Snoop Dogg referred to CooÂlioâs world-famous song in his tribÂute, writÂing âGangsÂta HeavÂen.â RIP.â
They also released a phoÂto of the two posÂing at the set of the music video for their 2006 colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion, âGangsÂta Walk.â
âSad news, Iâve seen this guyâs career rise to the top of the indusÂtry,â said felÂlow rapÂper and actor Ice Cube.
MC HamÂmer called CooÂlio âone of the nicest guys Iâve ever metâ.
Heâs a ânice guyâ. RIP CooÂlio,â and postÂed a black-and-white phoÂto of the rapÂper, before postÂing a secÂond phoÂto of him with Tupac and Snoop Dogg.
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