As a household name with millions of fans across the globe, Coolio travelled the world before his untimely death on Wednesday - even managing what would go on to become an iconic trip to Preston in 2013.
Following a public performance in the city, the American rapper went on to join a group of University of Central Lancashire students later in the night - going on treat them to a three-course meal and an acoustic version of his hit Gangsta’s Paradise in their student digs.
Coolio, 59, passed away from suspected cardiac arrest while at his friend's home in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday [September 28], with his manager confirming his shock death to American publications shortly after. No official cause of death has yet been announced.
Actress Michelle Pfeiffer was one of the first celebrities to pay tribute to the late star as the news broke - telling her fans she was 'heartbroken' as she reflected on the rapper's 'brilliant song' Gangsta's Paradise for the soundtrack for her hit 1995 film, Dangerous Minds.
In the wake of his death, many social media users have revisited Coolio's infamous trip to the north west of England and remembered the time University of Lancashire students experienced a night their sure never to forget with the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant.
In the video that went viral in 2013, Coolio can be seen singing as a student with a guitar plays alongside him. The guitarist went into further detail about his duet with the late rapper on Reddit at the time, writing: "He was playing a gig in our city, and a few of my housemates were in the VIP after party. He came back to our house afterwards, and told us that he wasn’t busy that night so would come over and cook us dinner.
"We had Coolio’s Caprese Salad, Chicken á la Daaaamn, and Peach Crumble. We also videoed a cooking show (‘Cookin’ with Coolio’). It was just as weird as it sounds."
Not only did kind Coolio cook for the students, he even washed up after himself - with the guitarist adding: "He was very particular on hygiene!"
As the news broke that Coolio had died at the age of 59 on Wednesday, social media users shared the footage of Coolio in Preston almost a decade ago, with one saying: "Coolio once met a bunch of students who lived at my bro’s student house in Preston. He took them shopping then went back and cooked them dinner. A proper gent. RIP #ParadisesGangsta."
Coolio 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.
On Wednesday, Coolio's longtime manager, Jarez, confirmed the star's death - explaining how his late client 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.
The former Celebrity Big Brother star is said to have been pronounced dead at the scene after his friend had called emergency services.
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