Current:Home > StocksRapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage -WealthRoots Academy
Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage
View
Date:2025-04-12 13:55:37
Isaac Freeman III, the award-winning rapper and hype man known professionally as Fatman Scoop, has died after suffering a medical emergency on stage. He was 53.
Freeman's death was confirmed on Saturday in a statement shared on his verified Instagram page.
"It is with profound sadness and very heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of the legendary and iconic Fatman Scoop," the statement from Freeman's family said. "Last night, the world lost a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life."
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Freeman for more information.
On Friday, a video shared by TMZ showed Freeman appearing to suffer a medical emergency and collapsing on stage while performing during a concert at Town Center Park in Hamden, Connecticut.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett confirmed that Freeman "had a medical emergency on stage" and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. "Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers," she wrote. On Saturday, Garrett offered "heartfelt condolences to the family and friends" of the rapper.
"I am grateful to the audience members and to our paramedics that attempted to offer life-saving assistance," Garrett said. "For anyone who is having difficulty processing and mourning Isaac's loss particularly after witnessing the tragedy unfold at Town Center Park, we will be hosting grief counseling with our social worker."
Freeman worked with artists like Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott during his career and was featured on songs such as Elliott's "Lose Control," which won the Grammy for best short form music video. The rapper is also known for tracks like his own "Be Faithful" from 1999.
Flavor Flavand the lost art of the hype man: Where are hip-hop's supporting actors?
Rapper Blxst, who released his latest album "I'll Always Come Find You" in July, recently spoke with USA TODAY about employing Fatman Scoop on his song "Too Many Friday Nights."
"I just needed a nostalgic moment," he said.
Tributes pour in from Questlove, Timbaland, more
Tributes for Freeman poured in Saturday on social media, with DJ Andrew Hypes sharing on X that the rapper was "one of THE most influential artists/voices to ever do it."
Freeman had been slated to appear at the Reminisce Festival in September. In a post on its Facebook page, the festival said it was "heartbroken" by the news of his death.
Missy Elliottis ditching sweets to prepare to tour, says her dog is 'like my best friend'
"Scoop was scheduled to perform at this year's Reminisce Festival, and his absence will be profoundly felt by everyone," the festival said. "He was not just one of our most popular performers, he was a cherished member of the Reminisce family. His energy, talent and infectious spirit will be missed more than words can express."
The statement by Freeman's family remembered him as "not just a world class performer" but a "father, brother, uncle and a friend."
"Fatman Scoop was known to the world as the undisputed voice of the club," the statement added. "His music made us dance and embrace life with positivity. His joy was infectious and the generosity he extended to all will be deeply missed but never forgotten."
Questlove honored Freeman in a comment on the Instagram post, writing, "Thank you Scoop!"
"I want to thank FATMAN SCOOP for being an embodiment of what hip hop was truly about," Questlove wrote in his own Instagram post. "To just forget about your troubles and live in the moment and allow joy in. So sad to see you go my brother. You will be missed but you will NEVER be forgotten."
Other musical artists like Timbaland and Blasterjaxx chimed in with condolences on the post to Freeman's Instagram account.
Contributing: Naledi Ushe
veryGood! (6961)
Related
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- The $16 Korean Pore Mask I've Sworn By Since High School
- King Charles' sister Princess Anne says streamlining the royal family doesn't sound like a good idea
- ISIS chief killed in Syria by Turkey's intelligence agency, Erdogan says
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Over 50 gig workers were killed on the job. Their families are footing the bills
- What Ukraine war news looks like from Russia
- U.S. warns of discrimination in using artificial intelligence to screen job candidates
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- UK blocks Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard
Ranking
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- How Marie Antoinette Shows the Royal's Makeup Practices: From Lead Poisoning to a Pigeon Face Wash
- Elon Musk says he has secured the money to buy Twitter
- Telegram is the app of choice in the war in Ukraine despite experts' privacy concerns
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger goes overboard on trip to Hawaii
- U.S. takes new steps to reduce migrant arrivals when Title 42 border rule ends in May
- The alleged Buffalo shooter livestreamed the attack. How sites can stop such videos
Recommendation
The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
Taylor Swift's Handmade Eras Tour Backstage Pass Is Something Out of a Lavender Haze
Twitter aims to crack down on misinformation, including misleading posts about Ukraine
Zelenskyy sees opportunity in China's offer to mediate with Russia, but stresses territorial integrity
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
Facebook and TikTok block Russian state media in Europe
This is the first image of the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way
Canada bans China's Huawei Technologies from 5G networks