Los Angeles: Hold on to your hats, folks, because there's some sad news coming out of Hollywood today. According to Coolio's manager, the Grammy-winning rapper passed away at the tender age of 59 due to a fentanyl overdose. It's been six months since the rapper was found dead at his friend's house in Los Angeles, and now we finally know the cause of death.
Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was a legendary figure in the rap world. He shot to fame with his 1995 hit single "Gangsta's Paradise," which was featured in the movie "Dangerous Minds." The song won a Grammy Award for best rap solo performance the following year, and it's still a beloved classic to this day.
Unfortunately, the rapper's family received some heartbreaking news from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office on Thursday. They were informed that Coolio had died from a fentanyl overdose. It's a tragedy that's all too common in the entertainment industry these days.
Despite the devastating loss, the rapper's children are planning to honor their father with a series of documentary and film projects. Coolio's legacy will live on through his music and the stories that his loved ones share with the world.
Coolio was born in Pennsylvania in 1963 and later moved to Compton, California, where he became a fixture in the West Coast hip-hop scene. He released his debut album, "It Takes a Thief," in 1994, and the single "Lakeside" was a Top Ten hit. It's clear that Coolio's impact on the music world will be felt for years to come.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than heroin.
As a prescription drug, it is used to treat severe pain, similarly to morphine.
The fentanyl that is used illegally is most often made in labs and sold as a powder or pill.
What makes it so dangerous?
Its strength, for starters. Because it is so potent, the difference between a dose that can kill and one that won't is thin.
Fentanyl suppresses breathing at a much lower dose than other opioids.
Drug dealers also mix fentanyl - a cheaper drug - with heroin, cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine to increase their profits.
Without knowing their drug has been cut with fentanyl, a person might accidentally take too much.
What are the effects of fentanyl?
Fentanyl can provide pain relief and create feelings of extreme happiness.
It can also cause nausea, confusion and sleepiness, problems breathing and unconsciousness.
What happens when someone overdoses?
Overdosing on fentanyl causes a person's breathing to slow or stop, limiting the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain.
This can lead to a coma, permanent brain damage, or even death.
An overdose can be treated with naloxone, a medicated nasal spray, which restores normal breathing.
How many people die of fentanyl overdoses each year?
In 2021, more than 70,000 Americans died from a fentanyl overdose, and almost 58,000 in 2020, according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
More than 150 people a day in the US die from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Fentanyl is less prevalent in the UK and that's reflected in the numbers: 58 people died from known fentanyl poisoning in 2021. The highest number of known fentanyl deaths was recorded in 2017, when 75 people died from the drug. However, there were 4,859 deaths related to drug poisoning overall in 2021, a 6.4% increase from 2020, and half of those involved an opiate.
