One year ago today (September 28), Pennsylvania-born, Compton-based rapper Coolio passed away at the age of 59. Best known for his No. 1 smash hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” made for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Dangerous Minds, as well as subsequent fan-favorites like “Fantastic Voyage” and “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New),” Coolio’s death was a shock to many in the entertainment industry such as Questlove, Ice Cube, and even Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred in Dangerous Minds.
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“A life cut entirely too short,” Pfeiffer wrote on Instagram after hearing of Coolio’s death. “As some of you may know I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995. He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack—which I think was the reason our film saw so much success. I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family.”
When Coolio first passed, though, nobody knew the reason behind it. After being found unconscious on the bathroom floor of his friend’s house, the MC’s manager Jarel Posey told Variety that police didn’t find any drugs on his person, and would be investigating as soon as possible.
“Law enforcement sources tell the outlet that no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene of his death,” Posey said. “An autopsy and toxicology test will be used to determine an official cause of death.”
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It would not be until March of this year that the cause of Coolio’s death was finally revealed. Unfortunately, though he did not have any on him, Coolio’s passing was caused by a drug overdose, which included traces of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamines in his system, according to his coroner.
At the time of his death, Coolio had many projects in the works, which included solo and collaborative music, as well as a contribution to a revived adult animated show. Mostly living in Ireland and working with musicians like Christy Dignam of the Irish rock band Aslan, who also recently passed, Coolio had spoken about how amped he was to put stuff out in the near future, and how much he loved his newly adopted hometown of Dublin.
“We’re working on a track,” he told an Irish newspaper last summer about his relationship with Dignam. “We haven’t even started writing any lyrics. The track is being built as we speak. Somewhere within the next four to six weeks, we should have something tangible we could work with … On my days off on tour, when I’m in Europe, instead of going back to America for a couple of days, I come to Dublin, and I spend my time here. I walk about. I go to friends of mine. I go to clubs and bars. I talk to the people on the street. I hang out. I meet some nice, nice-looking women. I have a pint. I can pull a proper pint. I can do it with the best of them.”
Though Dignam died before her work with Coolio could surface, the latter’s first release post-death would eventually come in the form of “TAG ‘YOU IT'” in March, featuring fellow rap icon Too $hort. The lead single for his upcoming posthumous LP Long Live Coolio, “TAG ‘YOU IT'” served as a reminder of the late great’s unmatched charisma on the mic.
In addition to this, Coolio’s beloved character Kwaanza-bot in Futurama was reprised this year when the comedy series was revived after a 10-year hiatus. Delivering his voice-acted lines before his death, Coolio’s inclusion was a bittersweet moment for the show’s creators, who stated that he was one of their dearest guest stars.
“Coolio was one of my favorite guests,” Futurama executive producer David X. Cohen told TMZ. “He was always totally upbeat and genuinely enjoyed coming in to record as his character Kwanzaa-bot.”
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