Ice Cube, Weird Al, And More Pay Respects After Rapper Coolio's Death At 59

Sad news hit the world last night when the untimely passing of Coolio at age 59 was announced. An award-winning rap icon, the man inspired his fans, and left some beautiful pop culture moments along the way. Today, the entertainment world is paying its respects, as Ice Cube, Weird Al, and others have posted loving tributes for Coolio. 

Starting things off, actor and fellow rapper Ice Cube tweeted his condolences. He honored the rapper by including some context of how he knew Coolio in reference to his own musical career, in the following bittersweet post:

Of course, with one of Coolio’s biggest hits being “Gangsta’s Paradise,” there were two parties that the world was likely expecting to see tributes from. Weird Al Yankovic was one of those people, as his song parody “Amish Paradise” became a huge hit in its own right, despite not having the original artist’s approval. The matter was eventually squashed, leaving Coolio and Weird Al as friendly parties; a fact remembered in Yankovic’s own tribute below: 

Parody aside, this iconic Coolio track became popular in the first place because of its creation for the 1995 drama Dangerous Minds. “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the hit single from the film’s soundtrack, and even won Coolio several awards, including a Grammy. 

Michelle Pfeiffer starred in the music video, and the film. The experience is something she discusses in her Instagram post bidding her former co-star a fond farewell: 

Known as somewhat of an actor himself. Also known by the name Artis Leon Ivey Jr., the rapper played many parts in movies and TV shows. There was even a point where Coolio was almost a Batman villain, thanks to a deal made to secure his performance in Batman and Robin. Part of his acting experience is what brought All That veteran Kel Mitchell to social media, as he shared the story of how he met Coolio during his guest spot on the Nickelodeon show: 

It’s also worth noting that should you take a nostalgic trip to revisit Nickelodeon’s classic sitcom Kenan and Kel, Coolio was an important part of that project as well. No matter what opportunities presented themselves in front of the camera, or in the recording booth, as was the case with animated series like Futurama, music was still what made Coolio truly iconic. Celebrity admirers like Viola Davis tweeted memories that signaled just as much:

Also on hand to pay tribute to Coolio’s passing was musician and actor Questlove from The Roots. One of 2022’s Academy Award winners, he shared a very simple message of condolences through Twitter that showed nothing but love and appreciation: 

Closing things off is a tweet from actor Lou Diamond Phillips. Most recently known for his role on the Fox drama and fan favorite show Prodigal Son, Phillips took time to lay out a story of how his friendship with Coolio led to some special memories: 

The passing of Coolio is one that is still being felt throughout the world. We here at CinemaBlend send our deepest condolences to the late music icon’s friends and family, as they navigate this period of grief and remembrance.