Coolio’s son has opened up about his father’s untimely death in an emotional interview.
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, the beloved rapper died unexpectedly on September 28 in Los Angeles.
Numerous tributes poured in for the Gangsta’s Paradise rapper, many of which praised his contributions to West Coast Hip Hop in the 90s.
His eldest son, Artis Ivey III, has opened up about his father’s death at just 59.
The 33-year-old is the first family member of the late Hip Hop artist to speak out.
He said Coolio died from a heart attack when he was found unresponsive in the bathroom of a friend’s residence.
Coolio’s son attributes his death to ‘bad asthma’ not drug use
In an interview with The Sun, Ivey III said his father suffered from severe asthma issues. In addition, while he reveals his father used recreational drugs, he claims it played no role in his death.
“My dad was having a couple of health complications. He was taking care of those things. A lot was going on with asthma, real bad asthma,” Ivey III said to the outlet, continuing.
Coolio’s son went on to say that “He was for the most part drug-free, but my dad lived for the day, everyone in life has their vices, but those vices never really affected him as a father or a man. He died of natural causes. He just had a heart attack.”
The inquest into Coolio’s death, such as a toxicology report and autopsy result, have yet to be released.
Coolio did not fear death
The late rapper’s son said his death was “a complete shock” but said his father prepared their family for when he died, despite his relatively young age.
Ivey III described his father as a “very spiritual person” in the interview.
“He didn’t fear death at all. It was another step to paradise. He had his own set of beliefs. He believed in a higher power, and he believed in himself,” his son claimed.
Coolio is survived by his 10 children. His son told The Sun that the late rapper had seven biological children and three step-children.
Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, reportedly shared four children with his ex-wife, Josefa Salinas.
She recently paid tribute to his memory and life in an Instagram post.
It is unclear who are the mothers of his other six kids. One of his children, who goes by Darius Knits on Instagram, shared a photo of the C U When You Get There rapper with his mother.
Coolio revealed during an appearance on the Australian TV show Today Extra in March that he had five young grandchildren, according to the Daily Mail.