US rapper Coolio, known for the iconic hit Gangsta's Paradise, died at the age of 59 on Wednesday.
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.
The exact cause of his death has not yet been revealed, however Mr Posey said that paramedics believed the rapper may have had a cardiac arrest.
Mr Posey confirmed the star was visiting a friend in Los Angeles when they became concerned after he went to the bathroom and didn't return.
He 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 US rapper's death comes as a huge shock due to the fact 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 all 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 when he discovered the rapper had died.
Fellow rapper Ice Cube also rushed to pay tribute to his pal.
"This is sad news. I witness first hand this man's grind to the top of the industry," he wrote on Twitter.
Following the news of his untimely death, thousands of tributes have poured in for the much-loved rapper.
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.
"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 penned.
"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," the actress added.
MC Hammer, took to Twitter to write: "One of the nicest dudes I’ve known. Good people. R.I.P. Coolio."
While LL Cool J shared a short tribute on the platform too, writing: "Rest in power my brother. @Coolio Love & Respect."
Actor Andy Milonakis also 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."
And Sabrina star Melissa Joan Hart took to Instagram to share a snap of the pair on set and wrote: "I had the amazing honour to work and play with @coolio a few times and he was always down for a chat, a complete gentleman and a ton of fun to hang with. What a loss! Rest In Peace."
Over a career spanning four decades Coolio recorded eight studio albums and won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.
His other huge hits included Fantastic Voyage, Rollin' With My Homies, 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), and Too Hot.
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.
The Mirror has contacted Coolio's representatives for comment.
