Fatman Scoop passes away at the hospital confirms manager after rapper collapsed on stage

Rapper Isaac Freeman III, also known as Fatman Scoop, passed away on August 31 at the age of 53. The news was confirmed by his tour manager, Birch Michael. On August 30, while performing at Town Center Park in Hamden, Connecticut, the singer collapsed on stage and was immediately rushed to a local hospital.

The first responders reportedly performed CPR and chest compressions on him. He fell ill when he was almost halfway through his performance. The cause of his death has not been disclosed yet. Birch shared an emotional post on Facebook, writing:

“It is with the heaviest of hearts I announce the passing of Isaac Freeman III, Known professionally as Fatman Scoop. You taught me how to be the Man I am today. I Love you Scoop, Thank you so much for everything you gave to me…Rest In Peace x.”

The rapper was supposed to perform at the event last month, but due to uncertain weather, the show was postponed to August. The footage from the show as captured by the audience showed the moment the rapper collapsed, just seconds after he energized the crowd.

He appeared to head toward the back of the stage and approach the DJ booth, where he continued to hype up the audience. As he climbed the stairs to the booth, his breathing became labored. He was seen panting into the microphone. After a long pause, he bent forward and then collapsed.

As soon as the news of his death was confirmed, fans and artists including DJ I Am Tony Neal, Lil Jon, Missy Elliott, DJ Questlove, and Crystal Waters paid tributes on social media.

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Fatman Scoop was a three-time Grammy Award winner

Fatman Scoop was born in New York City on August 6, 1971. The artist featured on popular tracks like Missy Elliott’s Grammy-winning Lose Control and It’s Like That by Mariah Carey. Fatman Scoop is also recognized for Be Faithful, which was originally released in 1999 and achieved international success after its re-release in 2003. The song topped the charts in Ireland and the UK.

Fatman Scoop was a three-time Grammy Award winner and was a renowned figure in New York City’s hip-hop life in the 1990s. Besides music, he was into podcasting. In a video released in 2020 on YouTube, the rapper said:

“If there was a club or a place that people gather on a Thursday to a Sunday around the world, you’re gonna hear my voice at least once. Think of me as the guy that if you hear somebody yelling over a song, it’s only one of two people, myself or Lil Jon.”

The rapper also appeared on the UK TV series Chancers on Channel 4 in 2004. The show was about musicians mentoring aspiring UK artists aiming for success in the US. Fatman Scoop competed on Celebrity Big Brother 16: UK vs USA, which aired in 2015, where he was the third housemate to be evicted. He was expected to perform at the UK’s Reminisce Festival on September 7.