Entertainment
Gangsta’s Paradise Crooner, Coolio, Dies at 59
US rapper Coolio, known for the iconic hit Gangsta’s Paradise, has died at the age of 59.
His longtime manager Jarez Posey told US media the artist was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friend’s house in Los Angeles.
Coolio started making music in the 1980s, but he cemented his place in hip hop history when he recorded Gangsta’s Paradise in 1995.
However Mr Posey told TMZ, which first reported the news, that paramedics believed he may have had a cardiac arrest.
Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, won a Grammy for Gangsta’s Paradise, which was part of the soundtrack for the movie Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
The haunting track continues to be widely listened to and has just passed a billion streams on Spotify, according to his official website.
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.
“I’m freaking out I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away,” Vanilla Ice wrote on Twitter.
The exact cause of his death on Wednesday has not yet been revealed.
Good people’
Snoop Dogg referenced Coolio’s world-famous track in his own tribute, writing: “Gangstas paradise. R I P.”
He also shared a picture of the two posing on the set of the music video for Gangsta Walk, a track they collaborated on in 2006.
“This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry,” fellow rapper and actor Ice Cube said.
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.
BBC
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in New Mexico along with their dog, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN. He was 95.
Their causes of death have not been confirmed, but foul play is not suspected, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila told CNN on Thursday morning.
Deputies responded to a welfare check request at the home around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and found Hackman, Arakawa and a dog deceased, Womack-Avila said. An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said. The gas company is assisting in the investigation, The Associated Press reported.
The welfare check was conducted after a neighbor called authorities, concerned about the couple’s well-being, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.
A search warrant shows that Hackman, his wife and their dog had been dead for some time, and the couple’s bodies were in different rooms when deputies found them during the wellness check, the AP reported.
Hackman was found dead Wednesday in a mudroom, and Arakawa was found dead in a bathroom next to a space heater. There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the countertop near Arakawa, the AP reported.
Medical examiner’s reports with the final cause of death “generally take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to generate,” said Chris Ramirez, spokesperson for the New Mexico medical investigator’s office.
CNN has reached out to Hackman’s representatives.
The actor’s death comes just days before the Academy Awards on Sunday.
Hackman’s performances in such films as “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm” elevated character roles to leading-man levels.
Hackman’s best roles were often of conflicted authority figures or surprisingly clever white-collar villains, such as the iconic, evil Lex Luthor in the “Superman” film series in the 1970s and ’80s. Many held a hint – sometimes more than a hint – of menace.
He won an Oscar for his portrayal in 1971’s “The French Connection” of New York cop Popeye Doyle, a detective who gets his man but at a high cost. His surveillance expert in 1974’s “The Conversation” is single-minded to the point of obsession, losing all perspective.
He won his second Oscar for his performance as Little Bill Daggett, the violent sheriff in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 film, “Unforgiven.”
Source: CNN
Nigerian music star, Patoranking, is guest this week on the Glo-sponsored African Voices, the magazine programme of the Cable News Network (CNN) International.
He will share the story of how he rose from the slums of Lagos to global fame to host of the programme, Larry Madowo.
The programme will equally host Ghanaian Derrick Cobinnah, who has been using his “Forces Help Africa” to turn round for good the fortunes of Ghanaian war veterans.
Patoranking, whose full name is Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, hails from Onicha in Ebonyi State. He was born in Lagos on 27 May 1990. He is a Nigerian Afrobeats and reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter who starred out in life as a street musical performer.
He has won notable awards including Headies, Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as well as the MTV Africa Music Award in recognition of his hit albums including God Over Everything (2016), Wilmer (2019), Three (2020) and World Best which was released last year.
Patoranking has used his wealth and his position as a UNDP Regional goodwill ambassador to champion the cause of youth development in Nigeria.His counterpart, Derrick Cobinnah, has been employing his Forces Help Africa, a non-government organisation to render help and support to war veterans who are sick, injured, displaced or destitute.
The current edition of African Voices started airing on DSTV Channel 401 om Saturday, with repeats coming up on Sunday at 7p.m. and at 4 a.m. on Monday.
Entertainment
Behold the Prophetess: DJ Cuppy Foretells End of Singlehood in 2025 As Nigerians Offer Advice
Disc Jockey, DJ Cuppy, has prophesied that Valentine’s Day 2025 will be her last one as an unmarried woman.
The 32-year-old, in a post on X, expressed faith in God to help her get a husband.
“Happy #ValentinesDay to me! Manifesting that this is my last one unmarried… Lord, do your thing!” she wrote.
There have been diverse reactions to her post. While some professed love to her, others dished out unsolicited advice and even made recommendations for life partners.
Ogunniyi Taiwo (@tcarz45) wrote: “Baby come let me give you love unconditionally.”
Another X user “SanTa ExqCobar”≠ (@SanTaExqCobar) commented: “If na bad character make you never marry, change am. Happy Val.”
Mr Gibenny (@mrgibenny) suggested: “@uchecrypt is single @cuppymusic. @Crypto__hub is single @cuppymusic. Choose either of them, you won’t regret it.”
Mezie Abia (@MezieAbia) had this advice for Cuppy: “I hope you do realize that the Lord will not find husband for you? Go out there and make use of your woman skills to lure a man who will stick with you. We can’t have a good number of handsome and single men roaming the cities, and you’re always worrying and disturbing Lord to do His thing every damn year.
“Heaven helps those who help themselves, therefore, make a haste while the sun shines (sic).”
Olubunmi Aro (@bummiearo) wrote: “Don’t be under any pressure to marry please.”
Sulucious (@sulucious) asked Cuppy to marry him. “Let get married, na you they fine who get money,” he wrote.
DJ Cuppy announced her relationship with British boxer, Ryan Taylor, in December 2022.
After getting to know each other for 25 days, she disclosed that they got engaged.
However, after un-following one another on Instagram in July 2023, the couple gave rise to rumour that they were no longer together.
Cuppy later opened up about the failed relationship while recounting the setbacks in her life at an event.
Born as Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, DJ Cuppy is the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.
