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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

Conor McGregor's Black Forge Inn pub pays tribute to Coolio following rap legend's death

Conor McGregor's pub have paid tribute to Coolio following the rap legend's death.

The 59-year-old was found dead in Los Angeles on Wednesday, with his agent stating that he is suspected to have died from a cardiac arrest.

A message shared alongside a photo of Coolio and The Black Forge Inn's manager Liam Flynn on the pub's Instagram account read: "Today the world lost a legend. We were honoured that Coolio joined us over the summer and performed for all of our amazing customers. We are heartbroken with this morning's news. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

READ MORE: Coolio stunned punters with live performance in Conor McGregor's pub months before death

"Tonight we raise a glass to the OG.

"RIP Brother."

Coolio stunned punters at the pub during the summer when he performed his classic hit 'Gangsta's Paradise' in front of a large crowd.

Coolio also posed for photos with both staff and customers before singing the 1995 hit alongside a Dublin band.

The Compton native visited the pub with Dublin rap duo Versatile, who he previously recorded a music video with in the capital.

The rapper died aged 59 on Wednesday from a suspected cardiac arrest in Los Angeles.

Coolio's longtime manager, Jarez, confirmed the star was visiting a friend in Los Angeles when they became concerned after he went to the bathroom and didn't return.

Jarez told TMZ how Coolio was unresponsive to calls for him to return, leading the pal to check on the star. However, he was found laying on the floor.

Coolio - whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr - is said to have been pronounced dead at the scene after his friend had called emergency services.

The rapper burst onto the music stage in LA in the late 1980s, but it was his '90s hit Gangsta's Paradise which made him an international star. The iconic tune, which was recorded to be the soundtrack for Michelle Pfeiffer's hit film Dangerous Minds, went on to become his signature song.

It hit number one in the US, UK, France, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

(Getty Images)

The single itself sold over six million copies across the globe and was part of his four-time Platinum-selling album of the same name.

Other successful tunes included Fantastic Voyage, 1,2,3,4 (Sumpin' New), and It's All the Way Live (Now). He also performed the theme song for '90s sitcom Kenan and Kel titled Aw Here It Goes.

He won a host of awards throughout his career, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and a number of MTV Video Music Awards.

His death comes just four days after he had posted about his latest performance in Texas on Instagram.

Many of his followers took to the post following the news of his death to leave messages of condolence. One user wrote: "Rip To the legend!!! Gangster paradise is one of my favs fr."

Another penned: "Rest in gangstas paradise," followed by an emoji of praying hands.

As well as his music career, he tried his hand at acting, appearing on productions such as Tapped Out, Two Hundred Thousand Dirty, Stealing Candy and Gangland, which featured Ice T.

He also starred on a number of reality TV shows, including Coolio's Rules in 2008, and more recently Love Rules.

In the UK, Coolio was a surprise name in the 2010 edition of Celebrity Big Brother. He famously quit following a run-in with follow contestant Nadia.

The star also became a chef, releasing a cookbook titled Cookin' with Coolio.

Over the years, he has had a number of altercations with police, including being arrested for carrying a loaded gun in an airport. He pleaded guilty to unlawful firearm possession at court in 2016, calling the incident a "misunderstanding".

Following the news of his untimely death, tributes have poured in for the much-loved rapper.

Leading the way was Michelle Pfeiffer, who played the lead role in Dangerous Minds. She shared a clip of the huge hit tune and said she was "heartbroken" at the news.

(Corbis via Getty Images)

She wrote: "Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio. A life cut entirely too short. As some of you may know I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995. He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack - which I think was the reason our film saw so much success."

She continued: "I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr."

Among fellow '90s musicians to share heartfelt messages was MC Hammer, who took to Twitter to write: "One of the nicest dudes I’ve known. Good people. R.I.P. Coolio."

LL Cool J shared a short tribute on the platform too, writing: "Rest in power my brother. @Coolio Love & Respect."

Ice Cube also shared an article stating the star's passing, captioning his post: "This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio."

Snoop Dogg shared the Kenan & Kel theme tune on his Instagram Stories in tribute to the star who performed it.

And rapper Vince Staples paid his respects too, writing: "RIP Coolio," while actor Andy Milonakis said: "RIP to the legend Coolio. I had the pleasure going to his house to do a cooking show with him and he gave me my first taste of fried turkey. He was a kind and funny dude."

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