Black Immigrant Daily News

Grammy-award-winning rapper Coolio reportedly passed away on Wednesday afternoon. According to reports from TMZ, the rapper, who was 59 years old, passed away at the home of a friend in Los Angeles.

Authorities have not confirmed the details of the rapper’s death, but his longtime manager and friend Jarez confirmed that he passed away. The manager disclosed that the late rapper had gone to use the bathroom at his friend’s home but did not come out. His friend got worried after the rapper was in the bathroom for a while and called out to him. He eventually went in and found Coolio unconscious on the floor.

The Celebrity news site said that the rapper was pronounced dead at the scene by Emergency Medical Personnel. However, his manager shared that EMTs suspect that he might have suffered a heart attack.

Coolio is best known for his 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which won him a Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1996. The track also went on to win several awards, including the Billboard Award for Top Hot 100 Song, MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video and Best Video from a film, and American Music Award for Favourite Artist/ Rap/ Hip-Hop. He has also been nominated multiple times for the Grammy and other awards in the 1990s.

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., the rapper began to make a name for himself as one of the earliest artists to join the young hip hop genre in the 80s as a member of the Gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle. He, however, saw mainstream success with “Gangsta’s Paradise,” which was created as a soundtrack for the blockbuster film “Dangerous Minds.”

The artist’s other award-winning hits include the Billboard hit “Fantastic Voyage,” “1,2,3,4 (Sumpin’ New),” “It’s All the Way Live (Now),” and “C U When U Get There,” released in 1997.

Along with winning the Kids Choice Awards for Favourite Singer in 1997, he was also the voice behind the iconic Nickelodeon theme song for the TV show Keenan & Kel, “Aw here It Goes!”

On Wednesday night, he was widely mourned by fans and his peers in hip hop on social media as news spread of his passing.

Here are some of the reactions.

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Following the news that a suspect has been named and one arrested in PnB Rock’s murder by the Los Angeles Police Department, another man is seeking to clear his name and make sure everyone knows that he had nothing to do with the rapper’s death.

A man named Freddie Lee Trone has been named as a person of interest in the murder of the Philadelphia native. Sadly, PnB Rock was gunned down at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles on September 12. Police have since arrested a 17-year-old man believed to be the triggerman and also the son of Freddie Lee Trone.

The man who has come forward to clear his name is a videographer by the name Emmanuel Danquah who works in Minneapolis. He also does photography and goes by the pseudonym South Side Chief. Apparently, he has been linked to the crime by various unqualified online and social media investigators who believe that he may have had the rapper killed because of an argument they had on Instagram Live in 2021 over a stolen t-shirt design.

Many of the unqualified PIs have also edited clips and have claimed erroneously that the two had beef shortly before the “Middle Child” rapper was killed.

Danquah sought to clear the air during a recent interview with the Drea O Show. He stated that he had nothing to do with the murder of PnB Rock. He also reiterated that he was nowhere near the area and that he did not make some type of OG phone call hit.

Added to that, he said he and the late rapper were on pretty good terms before the shooting and were even planning a charity boxing match together in an effort to raise funds to help rebuild Minneapolis following the destruction caused during the 2020 George Floyd protests.

He said the last time they spoke, the two were good with each other and described PnB as a real one. Danquah went on to say that the “Selfish” rapper was even going to give him a chance that would change both of their lives through the fight that they were promoting. He remains grateful to him for that, he added.

When the accusations began to fly, he said that he felt a plethora of different emotions, especially since the internet put the label of a murderer on him. He added it was difficult to watch the accusers use video out of context and just run with it.

“I just want people to know that they can’t always believe what they see on the internet. If you see the video, I’m like 200 pounds heavier and they tried to make it seem like that was the same day [as Rock’s murder],” he continued.

According to Danquah, the police have not even contacted him, and if they do, he has nothing to hide. However, he did express some hesitancy with having to speak with the authorities for fear of how he would be handled as a black man.

The argument in question seems very unlikely to result in murder. The two men had a spat after the rapper was accused of stealing his t-shirt design featuring a photo of the uprising in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death.

Things did get heated but the most the threats escalated to was Danquah threatening to snatch PnB Rock’s chain. In subsequent interviews, Danquah even admitted to embellishing the argument to get some more clout on the internet.

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The Los Angeles Police Department has named a suspect wanted for questioning in the murder of Philly rapper PnB Rock. A 17-year-old man, who cops say is the son of the named suspect, was also arrested by police on Wednesday.

According to TMZ, the LAPD has released a photo and the name of the suspect- Freddie Lee Trone. According to the publication, Trone is considered “armed and dangerous.” According to police, the teenager is believed to be the shooter and his father, Freddie Lee Trone, is the getaway driver who was waiting in the parking lot.

Sources say that the father and son crime duo were at Roscoe’s parking lot when PnB Rock and his girlfriend arrived in a Mercedes-Benz sedan. This means that the killer might not have known his location through an Instagram post by his girlfriend, as previously thought. After his death, fans on social media took his girlfriend to task for sharing their location on Instagram via a post of her meal on her Story.

PnB Rock was shot and killed while dining with the mother of his daughter at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in Inglewood, California.

Pnb girlfriend Stephanie Sibounheuang IG

In the meantime, police are on the hunt for the father, who remains at large and is reportedly armed and dangerous. The LAPD previously said that the shooter was whisked away from the crime scene by a getaway car waiting outside of the restaurant. During the robbery, only Rock was harmed. The killer reportedly took away gold and diamond chains from the rapper after shooting him multiple times.

PnB Rock was laid to rest according to Muslim rites last week. In the meantime, the LAPD is asking the public to assist in locating Trone and calling 911.

Earlier this month, the police said that the investigation into the rapper’s murder had crossed state lines as they were investigating if he had any beef that may have led to him being killed or whether it was just a random robbery that may be linked to him and his girlfriend posting his location shortly before his death.

The police were also investigating whether a previous robbery attempt that the rapper shared with DJ Akademiks a month before he was killed might have a link to the robbery that ended his life.

Police have not released the name of the 17-year-old suspect.

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Sizzla shout-out some dancehall legends in prison, namely Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman, while paying homage to Buju Banton by performing the now disbanded classic single “Boom Bye Bye.”

The Judgement Yard icon was in his element last weekend when he performed at the Good Times party in Kingston, along with new artists he is mentoring. If you’re a fan of Sizzla, then you will know he has been one of the best live performers in reggae/dancehall for the past decades, and he is never one to shy away from controversial moments like fire burn the LGBTQ community or calling out other artists.

Around midway through his performance, Kalonji paused to hail his family and some of his comrades behind bars, including Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman, while calling for their freedom. “Big up all the youths them in a jail, Kartel, Ninjaman, and the whole a dem. Big up all a me family its time leggo the black people them now,” he said on stage before diving into performing his classic “Dry Cry.”

Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman, who have both beefed in the past, are both serving life sentences for murder. It’s unclear if they are currently housed at the same prison facility, but we do know that the former Portmore Empire leader is currently at the Horizon Remand Center.

Sizzla also caught the attention of dancehall fans who have been reacting on Twitter when he injected some lyrics from Buju Banton’s controversial single, “Boom Bye Bye.” During the performance, Kalonji said, “All ah the people them weh know say them love da party yah seh boom bye.”

Sizzla also questioned if he even could single the song. “Ah who sing da song deh?” he asked. “Mi cyaan sing da song deh, cause them fraid fi sing it?”

Urban Islandz reported in 2019 that Buju Banton issued a permanent ban on the song he released in 1992. The reggae/dancehall icon recorded and released the song when he was a teenager, something he said he has since grown and now has a different perspective.

“I recognize that the song has caused much pain to listeners, as well as to my fans, my family and myself,” Buju said in a statement sent to Urban Islandz. “After all the adversity we’ve been through I am determined to put this song in the past and continue moving forward as an artist and as a man.”

Buju Banton issued the ban just before his big performance at Summerjam in Germany. At the time, he had recently been released from prison, leaving some fans to speculate that he was pressured by the LGBTQ community to denounce “Boom Bye Bye.” His rep at the time, Ronnie Tomlinson, later denied that the singer was pressured to disband the song.

Banton has not performed “Boom Bye Bye” since around 2007, before his arrest in the United States and subsequent 10-year prison sentence for a drug conviction. It’s very unlikely he will ever perform the song again after causing him a lot of problems overseas in the past.

“Boom Bye Bye” is undoubtedly one of the most infamous anti-gay songs in reggae/dancehall history. Sizzla Kalonji might just help revive it from the trash bin.

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DJ Akademiks apologize to Reginae Carter for calling her a b**** after T.I. and Toya Johnson called him out.

DJ Akademiks stepped on a lot of toes, but he has hardly been checked seriously until now after he made disparaging comments about Lil Wayne’s daughter Reginae Carter in a rant on his podcast. In a sit down with Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy on The Breakfast Club, AK apologize for calling her the “B” word but says he is not apologizing for using the word as a whole because rappers are constantly using it.

Akademiks is known for his controversial actions that are often directed towards women. Some of his most disgusting moments, which he tries to spin as being controversial, have been directed at the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Ari Fletcher, Cardi B, and even Nicki Minaj.

While many of those personalities have ignored DJ Akademiks, it seems that his obsession with women’s business has crossed the line as rapper T.I. and Reginae Carter’s mother Toya Johnson make it clear that he was out of pocket for his comments on Reginae’s past and present relationships.

Over the weekend, a clip from his podcast had the rapper incorporating funny voices while speaking about Reginae and her new relationship.

“Reginae loved hood n***gas, she love YFN Lucci, that was her n***a. Everything was all good with them until she realised n****ga caught a RICO, she seen that murder charge on it, I’ve never seen a chick quickly, Reginae is seeing someone name Armon, I don’t even know who that n****a is, She even downgraded like… she don’t even like thugs anymore,” he said in a clip.

“She got with a n***a who look more feminine than her…she got with a n****a who is like the opposite of gangster, who she can do guessing games,” he said before adding, “You know these b*tches– let me not call her a b*tch. These chicks love a hood n*gga until he’s facing 25 to life,” he said.

Reginae’s mother and businesswoman, Toya Wright Johnson, who is also the ex-wife of Young Money rapper Lil Wayne called out Akademiks for disrespecting her daughter.

“Keep my daughter name out your mouth,” Toya said. Clout chasing is at an all time high. Let her live her 23 yr old life.”

Johnson also addressed him, calling the young lady out of her name. Reginae’s uncle T.I. also called out Akademiks for the remark.

“I would love to have a work with Akademiks, I got to put a call out to him. Hopefully, we can communicate our way through a positive resolution. But Reginae under the umbrella, she covered. I would love to have a word to see if we cn communicate ourselves to a position resolution cause certain sh*t is avoidable, it’s not worth the trouble,” T.I said in a video.

He also shared a caption for the video, making it clear that his niece was not to be played with. The rapper says he has been trying to reach Akademiks by phone and text but has been unsuccessful.

“[Akademiks] Please find the time to Get wit me … I’d love to chat about the remarks you made about my niece. @itsreginaecarter Let’s exchange perspectives…man to man & see if you depart with the same conclusion. She was raised by a village who loves and protects her wit all our physical and spiritual abilities… She is MY business. Hence why I’d love to handle the matter privately (which is why I been calling & txtn’trying to speak with you)… Looking forward to the opportunity to get together SOON. Thx in advance.”

Akademiks has not responded to T.I. or Toya Johnson.

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