Rap icon Coolio passed away on Wednesday, aged 59

Leah Cooper on October 3, 2022

The rap scene lost another legend when news broke of Coolio’s death, a name that took rapping to new heights in the 1990s.

The news came after friend and manager Jarez Posey announced the entertainer had passed away on Wednesday afternoon.

The details

Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Erik Scott said firefighters and paramedics received an emergency medical call.

They drove to the block of South Chesapeake Ave. at 4:00 p.m. where they found a man who was unresponsive.

Scott said they performed CPR attempts for about 45 minutes.

However, the patient was determined to have died before 5 p.m.

Statement

Sheila Finegan, Coolio Talent Manager, said:

“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.”

Michelle Pfeiffer mourns with other stars

When news of Coolio’s death broke, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred in the movie Dangerous Minds, which featured her favorite song “Gangsta’s Paradise” with LV, took to Instagram to share her grief.

Her post included a snippet of the music video she also starred in.

“Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist Coolio,” the post reads.

“A life cut entirely too short. 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. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr.”

Many names in entertainment, music and sports have paid tribute to Coolio including Ice Cube, Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, Flavor Flav, LL Cool J, Matt Bonner and Lou Diamond Phillips to name a few.

Coolio

Coolio’s musical career began in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that he solidified his name in hip-hop with Gangsta’s Paradise.

The hip-hop legend was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

In 1994, Coolio shared that he entered the drug business but later exited and pursued a career as a firefighter.

“I wasn’t looking for a career, I was looking for a way to clean up – a way to escape the drug thing,” he told Los Angeles Times.

“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.”

From there, Coolio would focus on rap and make a name for himself in the underground scene.

While his song “Fantastic Voyage” gave him momentum, it was Gangsta’s Paradise that put Coolio in the spotlight.

The song was not only included in the movie Dangerous Minds, it also earned him several awards, including a Grammy in 1996.

Despite being nearly 30 years old, Gangsta’s Paradise remains one of the most streamed songs, hitting a billion views on YouTube by July 2022.

“It’s one of those kinds of songs that transcends generations,” Coolio said in a recent interview.

“I didn’t use any trendy words…I think it made it timeless.”

References:

Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ rapper, dead at 59

Coolio: Michelle Pfeiffer and Snoop Dogg lead tributes to Gangsta’s Paradise rapper

Yathatisall Merges Art and Music With New Rap Styles

danielruiz on January 9, 2021

Musician and actor Najeeb Al-Amin, best known as YaThatIsAll, is a trendsetter for making music. With the passion, talent, and determination necessary to climb up to the top, he is regarded as Chicago’s top Afro hip-hop artist. The rising hip-hop artist has been releasing hit songs for years, his unique sound and style setting others’ pace to follow.

Originally from South Side Chicago, the singer-songwriter discovered his love for music at a tender age and gradually trained himself to great heights in showmanship- a real spectacle to behold. At the age of seventeen, YaThatIsAll is a young MC studying audio design and working as a sound engineer in his home city in collaboration with several artists to make hit songs. YaThatIsAll is recognized by fans and significant artists as a generic rap artist and a true creative when making Music. His debut mixtape, which he made working closely with Zoawe Joseph the First and Fifteenth Co-Founder Chilly, was well received by tens of thousands of fans who acknowledged that this great use of lyricism rhymes would take him far in the music industry.

YaThatIsAll is stirring a revolution in the music industry with his new mixtape entitled Proof. He blends his Afrobeat rap sound with fan style comic book storytelling, helping his audience visualize the tracks. The mixtape and accompanying comic book artwork will be released on Instagram and his website.

YaThatIsAll cannot only sing and rap, but he can also do it fluently in three languages. Additionally, he has the remarkable ability to write his songs and plays multiple musical instruments, including the guitar, percussion, and keyboard. He continues to dive into his iconic music influences, learning from them as he hones his craft. The young artist is always striving for greater heights, and he has worked with many globally-acclaimed artists, including award-winning Nigerian pop star 2Face and Chicago rap legend chief Keef.

He wishes to amass a broad fan base of hardcore Afro Rap, Trap, and Hip Hop music fans and anyone who is a fan of good music as he introduces his distinctive rap style to the world. He considers himself different from his completion because, according to him, he is the original Midwest Afrobeat HipHop – Drill Scene and Punk Rap trendsetters. He admits that his passion for Music drives his consistency, and his distinctive style represents Afrobeat rap styles at the highest.

In the future, YaThatIsAll is looking to collaborating with other artists and businesses to promote the African and Afro-American culture through different sharing platforms. He is an ambassador of peace and acceptance as he wants to use his Music to encourage others and impart social and racial awareness in the world community. He is hopeful that a feature film will be shot based on his comic book artwork Proof.

YaThatIsAll Music is available via his website. He is also on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, where he shares his thoughts and music progress with his fans.

King Burt on Living the Double Life of a Musician and CEO

Nicholas Alexander on August 6, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down countless industries and companies. But some people are making the most of these unprecedented times by launching their passion projects and working on their oft-neglected skills and talents. Founder and CEO of Inspire Vibes, Burton Baloubi, a.k.a. King Burt, is not only the assistant vice president for a major corporation but also a rising pop, rap, country, and hip-hop star.

King Burt has diligently dedicated his free time to commit to his lifelong dream of becoming an artist fully. King Burt is a much-needed breath of fresh air in the music industry. In the short time since he entered the game, he has been well applauded for his realness and creativity. He has released several hot tracks that have recently blown up and are on their way to becoming mainstream hit singles—“Price Tag,” “Hugh Hefner,” and “Country Girl.”

King Burt prides himself on having an unusual yet electrifying vibe, and he is genuinely unafraid to state what’s at the forefront of his thoughts. He is focused on staying true to his upbringing and maintaining an authentic presence. The attention his music has brought him has not changed his disposition and who he is as an individual. King Burt is determined to make music in the same manner that he always has, and he will carry on with his life the way that he needs to live. One of his guiding principles is to never change for anybody.

The up-and-coming artist is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, and attended Garner Magnet High School—coincidentally the same high school that American Idol winner Scotty McCreery attended. However, King Burt’s style doesn’t sound like typical North Carolina music—or like any kind of sound, for that matter. His extraordinary style is something that is unique to the US market and has never been heard before. His capacity to create such unique vibes is what separates him from other artists, both mainstream and independent.

King Burt prides himself on being able to live two separate lifestyles and still be a genuine person. When he’s in his suit and tie, he assumes the mentality of a businessman and CEO of his own company. His youth doesn’t stop him from making profitable decisions for his company. When he’s King Burt, he is able to transform into a rockstar that makes fire music. Not even his fans are able to recognize that it’s corporate mastermind Burton Baloubi.

His life experiences are what motivated him to try to make himself be exceptional and stand out from the crowd. He strives to become an example to people who have also been in his shoes. His biggest loss was the death of a dear friend who lost their life to suicide. This grief motivated him to make his dreams a reality because he realized that life shows no one mercy.

King Burt sees himself making music on a bigger scale so that he can have the privilege of being able to touch thousands of lives through his creativity.

Check out King Burt’s adventures on Instagram.