According to his longtime manager, Jarez Posey, Coolio was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friend's house in Los Angeles.
Coolio, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr, started making music in the 1980s but cemented his place in hip hop history when he recorded Gangsta's Paradise in 1995.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 18: Coolio performs on stage during Riot Fest 2022 at Douglass Park on September 18, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)
He won a Grammy for Gangsta's Paradise, which was part of the soundtrack for the movie Dangerous Minds. According to his official website, the track continues to be widely listened to and has just passed a billion streams on Spotify.
The exact cause of his death on Wednesday has not yet been announced.
However, Posey told TMZ, which first reported the news, that paramedics believed he may have had a cardiac arrest.
Over Coolio's career, which spanned four decades, he recorded eight studio albums, won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.
His other hits included Fantastic Voyage, Rollin' With My Homies, 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), and Too Hot.
At the time of his death, Coolio was still active and was in the middle of a tour with other 90s stars, including Vanilla Ice and Young MC, with a performance in Texas just a few days ago.
Coolio's celebrity community and friends have been pouring out tributes to the rapper via social media since the news broke.
Snoop Dogg referenced Coolio's world-famous track in his tribute: "Gangstas paradise. R I P." He also shared a picture of the two posing on the music video set for Gangsta Walk, a track they collaborated on in 2006.
"This is sad news. I witness first hand this man's grind to the top of the industry," fellow rapper and actor Ice Cube said.
"I'm freaking out I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away," Vanilla Ice wrote on Twitter.
This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio https://t.co/vCeyn08Vsi
— Ice Cube (@icecube) September 29, 2022
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, and later posting a second picture of the pair together, along with Tupac and Snoop Dogg.
One of the nicest dudes I’ve known.
Good people. R.I.P. Coolio ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/yQF9ZonbKA— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) September 29, 2022
Kenan Thompson expressed shock after news of his death. Coolio provided the opening track, titled "Aw, Here It Goes!," for the Nickelodeon television series Kenan & Kel.
"Wait, now Coolio!!!" Thompson wrote in his Instagram Story.
He later reposted a tribute from Questlove, adding, "Damn homie!!! Rest in Power!!!"
LeBron James reacted to the news in his Instagram Story, typing the rapper's name with several dove Emojis. He later wrote, "Exactly where he is now! GANGSTA'S PARADISE"
Tributes continue to pour in for the Gangsta's Paradise rapper.
