Remember When Rapper Coolio Tapped Kenny Rogers for a Duet?

Rapper and producer Coolio died on Wednesday (Sept. 28). The Grammy-winning "Gangsta's Paradise" hitmaker was an icon in the '90s, but as the decade flipped, he asked a country legend to help him out with a song.

Kenny Rogers appears in this music video for "The Hustler," a song found on the Coolio.com album (2001). It's not clear if Rogers rerecorded his song "The Gambler" once again, or if Coolio (real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr.) sampled the iconic song. Coolio's rap lyrics tell a similar story as "The Gambler," Rogers' song from 1978.

Perhaps most amazing is that Rogers plays a significant role in the music video:

In 1998, MTV reported on this collaboration with Coolio, noting that he didn't know a lot about country music, but he liked Rogers.

"I've always listened to his songs," Coolio said, "and I've always liked 'The Gambler,' that's like one of my favorite country songs."

This song was never released as a single, and it's not even available on Spotify today. Coolio wouldn't record with another country singer before his death at age 59. Rogers died in March 2020.

The cause of Coolio's death is not yet known, but TMZ reports that no foul play is suspected. He died around 5PM PT at a friend's house in Los Angeles. NBC News sources his manager in reporting that he died of a heart attack.

PICTURES: See Inside Kenny Rogers' Staggering California Estate

Kenny Rogers developed a taste for fine living early in his success. His ultra-lavish mansion in Bel Air, Calif., an estate called Lionsgate, was opulent even by celebrity standards. The 11-bedroom, 17-bathroom home totals 23,988 square feet of space, and it sits on 1.63 acres of some of the most expensive real estate in California.

The lavish interior includes a master suite that encompasses more than 3,000 square feet, three separate living rooms, seven fireplaces, a billiards room, a formal study, a private 12-seat theater with leather seats, a climate-controlled wine room that opens onto a saltwater pool, three steam showers and a large dry sauna. The property also features an outdoor glass elevator that leads to a large ballroom party space with an attached guest suite and a professional-sized gym.

The exterior of the house is just as lavish, including an outdoor living area with heated floors and a fully equipped bar, a tennis court with stadium lighting and a viewing area, a hot tub and extensive landscaping. Realtor.com calls Lionsgate the "most prestigious luxury estate" in Bel Air, boasting "possibly the best views in Los Angeles."

According to Business Insider, Rogers purchased the estate in the 1970s, and he added the lions to the gate and christened the home Lionsgate. He sold it in 1983 for $5.8 million, according to Variety, and the property most recently sold in 2015 for a staggering $46.25 million.

Filed Under: Kenny Rogers