Coolio, the Rapper and actor, real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr., has died at the age of 59.  Coolio achieved major success in the mid 90s, with his iconic song “Gangsta’s Paradise” reaching Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 1995 and earning him a GRAMMY in 1996.

He died yesterday at a friend’s house. The Compton-raised entertainer sold over 17 million records worldwide, and acted in dozens of films, Dangerous Minds.