oolio died at the age of 59 after suffering from a suspected heart attack on Wednesday, the rapper's manager has said. Coolio's longtime manager Jarez Posey also confirmed that the musician was visiting a friend in Los Angeles and was later found in an unresponsive state on the bathroom floor. The Gangsta's Paradise singer was also dogged by a chronic condition since childhood. Back in February 2016, the star was unable to get through a meager five-song set in Brooklyn. The Fantastic Voyage singer was performing an impromptu gig at the Hill Country Barbeque Market in Brooklyn when he was struck by an asthma attack. The star has struggled with asthma his entire life.

An eyewitness of the show told Page Six at the time: "Coolio was having problems with his asthma, but someone from the audience provided him with their inhaler that he used between verses of 'Gangsta's Paradise,' and his other songs."

This wasn't the first Asthma attack the star has had.

Growing up, the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant had a "few episodes" of Asthma that ended up putting the star's life in danger.

He told USA today in a throwback interview: "I had a few episodes with asthma where I was in serious trouble and could have died."

Coolio

Coolio© Getty Images

Asthma is where the airways in the lungs can become inflamed and narrowed, making it harder for air to flow in and out of the lungs.

It affects roughly 4.5 million people in the UK, while an estimated 200,000 suffer from "severe" asthma.

At its worst, the condition can cause pneumonia, respiratory failure, and collapsed lungs and it is said to cause roughly 250,000 deaths worldwide every year.

Day-to-day, however, its most notable symptoms may be fatigue and underperforming in school or work, according to the UK's National Institute for Care and Health Excellence.

Coolio has explained how it affected him growing up. He said: "I still played sports, but I would just have attacks and have to be hospitalized every now and then.

"It's still a balancing act.

"You have to know your medications and you have to take them, but it can be a real challenge - especially in school."

There is currently no cure for the condition, but inhalers may be prescribed by health professionals. They work by relaxing the muscles in your air to widen it and allow asthmatic people to breathe better. 

While inhalers may be prescribed freely by the NHS, in America, receiving an inhaler may be slightly more difficult.

Coolio was given a tough lesson on the importance of having the right medication available to treat asthma as he suffered from complications.

Talking about his 20s, he said: "I didn't have any insurance and the bills I was accruing at county hospitals were really adding up.

"Plus the medications cost money, so I couldn't keep up with my medical needs."

He added: "Then it was like I had a bad cold, and I had coughing fits, one so bad that I passed out on the bathroom floor.

"I woke up later and tried to walk four blocks to the hospital because I knew I didn't have the ability to drive. Every three feet or so I hung onto a fence or light pole, trying to regain some strength. Thankfully, someone saw the trouble I was having and stopped and gave me a ride to the hospital because I'm not sure I could have made it."

Asthma may be triggered by allergies, pollution, or exercise - which each cause temporary narrowing of your airways.

The main symptoms of the condition, according to the NHS, include wheezing, breathlessness, and coughing.

Reference: Luke Whelan: Daily Express: