The US rapper Coolio, who became known in the 1990s with the hit "Gangsta's Paradise", is dead. According to his manager Jarez Posey, he died in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon (local time), the broadcaster "CNN" reported. According to TMZ.com, Posey said the musician collapsed at a friend's house. The cause of death was initially unknown. The Grammy Award winner was 59 years old.

The rapper's sudden death sparked consternation in the music community. "Peaceful journey, brother," wrote drummer and rap musician Questlove (51) on Instagram. This is "sad news", rapper Ice Cube (53) posted on Twitter. He himself witnessed Coolio's rise to the top of the industry.

Coolio started his career in Compton, California, a borough of Los Angeles that hosts a number of big West Coast rappers like Dr. Dre or Ice Cube spawned. The musician, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., landed a number one hit in 1995 with "Gangsta's Paradise". The song, which was also featured on the soundtrack of the film "Dangerous Minds," earned him a Grammy. Coolio also had success with songs like "Fantastic Voyage" and "I Remember". He has also appeared in TV series and films such as "Batman

The rapper had repeatedly run into trouble with the law for illegal possession of drugs and weapons. He was also on trial in Germany in 1998. At that time he was sentenced to six months probation and a fine for being an accessory to robbery and assault.