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Coolio died from fentanyl, his manager Jarel (Jarez) Posey confirmed to Variety.
The rapper’s family said he also had trace amounts of heroin and methamphetamines in his system.
Coolio died on September 28 at the age of 59. According to TMZ, the Grammy-winning rapper, producer and actor was found at a friend’s house. His cause of death was not immediately known at the time, although it was later believed that he had suffered a heart attack.
Coolio is best known for his 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which he recorded for the film “Dangerous Minds,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer. It quickly became one of the most popular rap songs of all time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and ending 1995 as the #1 single of the year in the United States. In 1996, “Gangsta’s Paradise” was nominated for Recording of the Year and Best Rap Solo Performance at the Grammy Awards, with Coolio winning the latter.
“We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and customer Coolio, who passed away this afternoon. He touched the world with his talent and we will miss him dearly,” Sheila Finegan, his manager at Trinity Artists International, told Variety. “Thank you to everyone around the world who has listened to his music and to everyone who has reached out about his death. Please have Coolio’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
Aside from music, Coolio was also an actor and TV personality, appearing on series like The Nanny and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and reality shows like Celebrity Big Brother. He also had a passion for food, having published his own cookbook, Cookin’ With Coolio, in 2009 and taking part in the Food Network series, Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, where he placed second.
TMZ was the first to report Coolio’s cause of death.