LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg and MC Hammer lead tributes to rapper Coolio after death aged 59
29.09.2022 - 14:47
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Tributes have been pouring in from celebrities following the announcement of the death of rapper Coolio.
The US rapper, real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr, died on Wednesday, his manager confirmed to multiple US outlets. He is best known for his hit song Gangsta's Paradise, and for appearing in the sixth series of Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, coming in third place.
Fellow rappers and musicians, as well as other celebrities who worked with him, have taken to social media to pay tribute to the rapper.
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US musical comedian Weird Al Yankovic paid his respects to Coolio with a short tribute on social media. Sharing a picture of the pair embracing, he wrote: “RIP Coolio”.
Yankovic parodied the rapper’s 1995 hit Gangsta’s Paradise as Amish Paradise, though at the time it was claimed that Coolio had not given him permission to do so and the pair are said to have fallen out. Coolio stated in interviews that the pair had since made amends.
In his own online tribute, US rapper LL Cool J wrote: “Rest in power my brother.
Former NWA star Ice Cube said he had witnessed Coolio’s “grind to the top of the industry” in his own tribute.
“This is sad news,” the rapper and actor wrote on Twitter. “I witnessed first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio.”
MC Hammer described Coolio as “one of the nicest dudes I’ve known”.
“Good people. RIP Coolio,” he wrote, sharing a black and white picture of the rapper. He later posted a second picture of the pair together, along with Tupac and Snoop Dogg.
Snoop Dogg referenced Coolio’s hit 1995 song in his own tribute, writing: “Gangstas paradise. R I P.”
The rapper shared a picture of