Isaac Freeman III, the rapper known professionally as Fatman Scoop and as the "undisputed voice of the club," died after collapsing onstage at a show Friday in Connecticut. He was 53. The cause of death was not released, but the town's mayor posted on Facebook that he had a medical emergency while performing at Hamden Town Center Park. Concertgoers and paramedics tried to aid the artist, who was taken to a hospital, Lauren Garrett wrote, per the AP. The cause of death wasn't immediately released. "The world lost a radiant soul, a beacon on stage and in life," his family posted on Instagram.
Fatman Scoop topped charts in Europe with "Be Faithful" two decades ago and later contributed to other artists' hits, including Missy Elliott's "Lose Control," Mariah Carey's "It's Like That," Ciara's "Level Up (Remix)," and Chingy's "Let's Ride." Elliott paid tribute to him on Saturday, per NBC News, posting on X that his "voice & energy have contributed to many songs that made the people feel happy & want to dance for over 2 decades." Questlove said on Instagram that Fatman Scoop was the "embodiment of what hip hop was truly about."
The rapper, who was from Harlem, saw 1999's "Be Faithful" become No. 1 on the singles charts in the UK and Ireland after a rerelease in 2003; it had had only minor success in the US. The next year, he appeared on the UK television series Chancers, per the BBC, in which musicians mentored artists trying to achieve success in the US. His longtime booking agency, MN2S, described him Saturday as an artist with "boundless enthusiasm," a passion for music and a voice and personality that "made an indelible mark on the industry."
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