Entertainment
Coolio: Michelle Pfeiffer and Snoop Dogg lead tributes to Gangsta’s Paradise rapper
![[GETTY IMAGES] Coolio recorded eight studio albums and won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards](https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/image-239-793x424-1.png)
[GETTY IMAGES] Coolio recorded eight studio albums and won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards
Stars including Michelle Pfeiffer and Snoop Dogg have been paying tribute to the US rapper Coolio who has died at the age of 59.
He was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friend’s LA house, his manager Jarez Posey told US media.
Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, won a Grammy for the 1995 track Gangsta’s Paradise, which led the soundtrack for Dangerous Minds.
Pfeiffer, who starred in the movie, said she was “heartbroken” at the news.
The exact cause of his death on Wednesday has not yet been revealed.
However Mr Posey told TMZ, which first reported the news, that paramedics believed he may have had a cardiac arrest.
Pfeiffer said she thought Coolio’s track was the “reason our film saw so much success” and that she still gets “chills” whenever she hears it.
“Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist Coolio,” she wrote on Instagram, sharing a clip from the famous music video, which sees her sitting across the table from Coolio as he raps.
“A life cut entirely too short,” she continued. “I remember him being nothing but gracious.”
Dangerous Minds saw Pfeiffer play an ex-Marine who becomes a teacher working on a pilot programme for teenagers who are bright but underachieving, in a tough, inner-city school.
Coolio’s haunting track from it, which samples the Stevie Wonder song Pastime Paradise, continues to be widely listened to and has just passed a billion streams on Spotify, according to his official website.
It begins with Coolio reciting a line from the bible – “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” – before spinning off into a wide-ranging rap which finds him questioning the actions of those around him and wondering if he will “live to see 24”.
The film grossed nearly £85m (£78m) worldwide and the track became the biggest-selling record of the year in the US, in 1995, and Coolio was awarded the Grammy for best rap solo performance.
Snoop Dogg shared a picture of the two posing on the set of the music video for Gangsta Walk, a track they collaborated on in 2006.
Fellow rapper and actor Ice Cube said: “This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry,” while Vanilla Ice tweeted: “I’m freaking out I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away,”
Rapper 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.
Oscar-winning musician Questlove simply tweeted: “Peaceful Journey Brother.”
Rapper Flavor Flav said he and Coolio had been due to “perform together this Tuesday”, saying his friend was “the West Coast Flavor Flav… He loved telling everyone that.”
Singer Debbie Harry paid tribute by saying: “Rest in power”, while rapper LL Cool J wrote the same message, along with “Love & Respect”. Musician Al Yankovic posted a picture of himself with the late rapper.
oolio started making music in the 80s, but he cemented his place in hip-hop history when he recorded Gangsta’s Paradise, which went on to become one of the most successful rap songs of all time.
A leading figure in the US West Coast rap music scene in the 90s, Coolio was born in Pennsylvania, but grew up in the LA suburb of Compton, where his career flourished.
He rejected the label gangster rapper, and instead embraced the role of an all-round entertainer.
A talented producer and actor, he appeared in dozens of films and TV shows, including Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2009.
And he even found an outlet for his love of food with a book and internet series, Cooking with Coolio.
Over a career spanning four decades he recorded eight studio albums and 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.
He was active right up until his death – Coolio was in the middle of a tour with other 90s stars including Vanilla Ice and Young MC, and they performed in Texas just a few days ago.
Source: BBC
In a landmark move to bridge the creative economies of Francophone and Anglophone Africa, the Republic of Congo has initiated a creative collaboration with Ghana.
The partnership was aimed at promoting Pan-African integration through film, culture, and shared storytelling.
Madam Claudia Yoka, a renowned filmmaker and Presidential Technical Advisor from the Republic of Congo led a delegation that included Ms. Monie Lek, a Congolese actress and Mr. Dymo Sow, a Francophone filmmaker for the event. 
The visit was facilitated and supported by the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP), which has been at the forefront of continental creative integration through initiatives such as the Africa Monologue Challenge and the Africa Image Ambassador Programme.
During her stay, Madam Yoka held high-level meetings with the Chief Executive Officer of the National Film Authority of Ghana, Madam Kafui Danku, as well as other key creative industry stakeholders, including veteran filmmaker Mr. Roger Quartey and award-winning filmmaker Madam Juliet Asante.
Madam Claudia Yoka revealed why the Republic of Congo turned its attention to Ghana, citing Ghana’s historic role in the development of Nigeria’s film industry as a key factor.
Ghanaian creatives, technicians, and institutions were instrumental in the early growth of Nollywood, and Congo now seeks to replicate that transformative impact.
“Ghana has proven that it knows how to build film industries. We have seen what Ghana did with Nigeria. Now we want Ghana to do the same with the Republic of Congo,” Madam Yoka said.
Madam Kafui Danku, CEO of the National Film Authority, expressed the readiness of the NFA and the Government of Ghana to facilitate any policy framework needed to ensure the success of the collaboration.
She noted that Ghana was committed to becoming a hub for continental creative partnerships and that the government would remove bureaucratic hurdles to enable seamless co-productions between Ghana and the Republic of Congo. -GNA
Ghanaian singer Enam showcases her command of traditional music and spiritual storytelling in ‘Modzi’, the latest visual installment from her ‘Afro Spiritual’ catalogue.
Before the official music video was released, Enam issued a short film that portrays her unwavering devotion to her sanctified faith, even as dark forces attempt to derail her destiny.
Shot by Marine World Studios and directed by Nani Sage, the film serves as a visual and sonic meditation on purpose, protection and spiritual alignment.
Rooted in African ancestral traditions, it captures a moment of transition, where preparation ends and calling begins.
It tells a story of walking a path believed to have been written long before.
The rising artiste draws heavily from the Yeweh shrine traditions of the Volta Region, a heritage that forms the backbone of her self-defined genre, ‘Afro Spiritual’.
The new ‘Modzi’ project, African sounds and dance‑ready rhythms, since its debut has been praised as one of the most thoughtfully curated releases in the country’s contemporary music landscape.
In the newly released Modzi video, Enam is seen riding a canoe along the river while participating in symbolic traditional rites in the forest.
The music video highlights striking images of Anloga culture, heritage monuments and communal rituals, positioning it as a potential contender for video of the year.
The new single is available on major digital music platforms, and the video is available on YouTube.
