LeBron James reacts to rapper Coolio's demise: "Exactly where he is now! GANGSTA'S PARADISE"
LeBron James is a big fan of rap and is friends with a lot of popular artists. Coolio, a popular rapper, passed away on Wednesday, and news of his demise quickly spread across the world. The cause of his death hasn't been provided yet.
The LA Lakers forward took to Instagram to react to the tragic news. Coolio was only 59 years old when he died. He was equally popular among NBA fans and players.
Coolio spent most of his life in Los Angeles and regularly attended NBA games. James was saddened by his death and posted two stories on his Instagram page as a tribute to the late rapper.
James is often active on social media, which is why it's not surprising that he reacted to Coolio's tragic demise. On Wednesday night, the four-time NBA champion simply posted "COOLIO" on his Instagram story, followed by dove emojis.
James had Coolio's most popular song, "Gangsta's Paradise," playing in the background. Shortly after, the Lakers forward posted another story.
"Exactly where he is now! GANGSTA'S PARADISE," James posted on his Instagram.
"Gansta's Paradise" turned Coolio into a superstar and the song itself turned into an instant hip-hop classic. Released in 1995, the song has been iconic for almost three decades. It is equally popular among both older and younger generations.
Coolio had an amazing halftime performance on Feb. 2 during a game between the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The Grammy Award-winning rapper performed a couple of his songs, including his greatest hit.
The Kings upset the Nets to win the game, which is why Coolio decided to have some fun with Steve Nesh, the Nets coach.
"Every time I perform, the home team wins!" Coolio said to Nash. "Ten in a row!”
Before that game, the Kings had lost seven in a row and were 2-12 in 14 games. It appears that the rapper indeed brought them some luck with his amazing halftime show.
LeBron James is a big fan of rap music
LeBron James loves rap music and it's not surprising that he reacted to Coolio's demise. During his impressive career, the 18-time All-Star has often quoted rap lyrics and is close to several rappers, including the great Jay-Z.
During Media Day, James spoke about his favorite rap albums. Unsurprisingly, he picked Nas' "It Was Written" and Jay-Z's "The Black Album" as his all-time favorites.
James was featured in one of Nas' music videos in 2021. The Lakers superstar has been close to Jay-Z for more than a decade. Jay-Z even referenced James in several songs. This includes a special diss track that he made during James' beef with DeShawn Stevenson.