Rapper Coolio appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap but he later said it was a ‘sham’ Thu 29 September 2022 17:04 Ashley Bautista
Carter Sullivan American rapper Leon Ivery Jr, or Coolio, sadly passed away at the age of 59. As fans mourn the loss of the rap star across the world, they’re remembering what he brought to the music industry. Becoming a household name, Coolio also appeared in an episode of Celebrity Wife Swap – and it caused a stir.
Coolio was married to Josefa Salinas and the couple had four children. However, their marriage came to an end in 2000 after four years together. The rapper never remarried, but did find love with others after Josefa.
In 2013, the Coolio participated in an episode of Celebrity Wife Swap with a woman named Mimi. However, after the show, the artist caused a stir by sharing ‘the truth’ afterwards.
As we remember Coolio, who passed away on September 28, 2022, we look at his short stint in reality TV.
Coolio appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap
Coolio appeared on an episode of ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap in 2013. The rapper took part in the series with a woman named Mimi, and both claimed to have been together for a long time.
The couple took part in a two-week wife exchange with Sugar Ray singer McGrath and his wife Carin. However, Mimi didn’t have the best experience in the series.
During the two-week exchange, Mimi realized she could better, which added to the drama between the couple. It was reported that Coolio and Mimi had broken up shortly after taking part in the show.
The star caused controversy in the series after he alleged that his romance with his partner was a setup for the show.
“Listen. It was all set up. I’m nothing like that. I’m not even with Mimi. I never was. She’s a friend of mine,” he told Razz.
Following up his controversy, the rapper claimed he would never take part in the show business world again after they had tried to “make me look bad”.
He told the media outlet: “They tried to make me look bad. I don’t want to do that stuff again. I’m going to concentrate on my music and food shows and a film about my darker days.”
A ‘Dangerous Mind’ finding success
Coolio was in the music industry since the late 80s. However, the rapper rose to fame in 1995 when he released the track Gangsta’s Paradise. The song received international recognition after it was featured on the soundtrack of Michelle Pfeiffer’s film, Dangerous Minds. He was also awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1996.
Throughout his active years, Coolio also released other songs that became viral, including Fantastic Voyage, which achieved number three on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts.
His second studio album, also titled Gangsta’s Paradise, became his best-selling album. It sold more than two million copies and a Grammy nomination.
Other popular songs included 1,2,3,4 (Sumpin’ New) and It’s All the Way Live (Now).
The rapper released a total of eight albums, making 2009’s From the Bootn 2 the Top his last musical work. Nonetheless, he continued to appear in films and television, after breaking into music.
A ‘life cut entirely too short’
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Michelle Pfeiffer (@michellepfeifferofficial)
Unfortunately, on September 28, 2022, news broke the popular rapper passed away at his home.
His manager Jarez Posey broke the news to TMZ the rapper had died at a friend’s house. Despite the best efforts of emergency crews, he was sadly declared dead at the scene.
An official cause of death has not yet been released, an autopsy and toxicology test will help determine how the star died.
Following the news of his death, tributes poured in for the star. Michelle Pfeiffer was amongst the many celebrities that sent a message to the artist, describing his death as a “life cut entirely too short”.
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