Coolio may be gone, but he’ll continue to remain close to his family and loved ones in a very personal way. According to Daily Mail, a representative said the cremated ashes of the Gangsta’s Paradise rapper will be placed in jewelry for his ten children and loved ones.
As reported by Face2Face Africa the 59-year-old passed away at a friend’s Los Angeles home on September 28. TMZ also reported this week that he has since been cremated. And besides keeping his cremated remains in an urn, portions of his ashes will be encased in pendants that will be given to his children and loved ones.
The pendants will come with necklaces, and the deceased rapper’s children will have the opportunity to customize the jewelry with inscriptions.
Coolio had four children with his ex-wife, Josefa Salinas. He shared the other six children with different women. And prior to this death, the Grammy winner was dating his long-time girlfriend Mimi Ivey.
In an interview with Daily Mail, Ivey described her reaction when she was informed about her partner’s passing.
“I just remember all of the air and life coming out of my body,” she recalled. “I was outside, getting ready to take my son to football practice. All I remember was dropping to my knees. I collapsed.”
Real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio was born in Pennsylvania on August 1, 1963. He relocated to Compton, California, where he became a member of the WC and the Maad Circle rap group in 1991. The deceased rapper rose to fame in the 90s with his Gangsta’s Paradise single. The 1995 hit song was the soundtrack for the Dangerous Minds film, and it took the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, per Variety. The song also earned the rapper a Grammy award for best rap solo performance.
Coolio also released several albums including his debut album It Takes a Thief, Gangsta’s Paradise, and My Soul. Outside music, the 59-year-old also featured in several movies and TV shows including Martin, Batman & Robin, Tyrone, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Futurama, and Charmed.