The hip-hop community is paying tribute to New York rapper Fatman Scoop, who has died aged 53.
Musicians including Missy Elliott, Questlove, Ludacris and Ciara are mourning the loss of the Grammy winner, whose real name is Isaac Freeman III, after he collapsed during a concert in Connecticut on Friday night (August 30). The rapper's family announced his death the following morning on social media. Cause of death was not reported.
Elliott, who collaborated with Freeman on her 2005 hit “Lose Control,” went to X (formerly Twitter) to honor him.
“Prayers for the Fatman Scoop family for STRENGTH during this difficult time,” Missy wrote. “Fatman Scoop VOICE & Energy have contributed MANY songs that made people feel HAPPY and want to dance for over 2 decades. YOUR IMPACT IS HUGE AND WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.”
“Lose Control”, which also featured Ciara, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's video won a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Short Form Music Video, and the track earned a Grammy nod that year for Best Rap Song.
Ciara also paid tribute to the late musician on social media. “Rest @FatmanScoop! You were truly one of the best voices in hip-hop! I am so glad to have met your greatness! We will all miss you very much”, Mr wrote the singer along with a video of Freeman on X.
Questlove shared a lengthy tribute on Instagram, writing, “I want to thank Fatman Scoop for being the embodiment of what hip hop really was. Just to forget your problems and live in the moment and let the joy in.”
The Roots drummer's dedication was “on behalf of” a list of groups, including “everyone who gives birth after a festive night at the club”, “all human beings whose hands have the ability to lift up” and “EVERY DJ who needed to raise the fist with adrenaline music to make the energy go IMMEDIATELY from 3 to one well beyond the spine 11.”
Ludacris noted on Instagram that “Scoop was one of those people who reminded you what the word LOVE Truly means. He is ACTION, and with his ACTIONS he exuded the PUREST form of Passion For HIP HOP. Every person he came in contact with felt this LOVE & this PASSION. THAT is the kind of LEGACY we ALL need to carry on from here on into ETERNITY.”
DJ D-Nice remembered Freeman, writing on Instagram, “he was always nice to me. This is a great loss to civilization. My condolences to all his loved ones.”
On Friday, Freeman was appearing at Town Center Park in Hamden, Conn., where he appeared to have suffered a medical emergency, according to TMZ. Fan-shot footage of X showed him collapsing mid-performance. After medical personnel performed chest compressions behind a DJ booth, Freeman was taken to a local hospital. His death was announced the next morning.
“It is with deep sadness and a very heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of the legendary and iconic Fatman Scoop,” his family wrote on Instagram. “Last night, the world lost a shining soul, a beacon of light on stage and in life.”
Freeman gained notoriety with his 1999 club hit Be Faithful, which featured Clan Crooklyn. His other musical credits include a feature on Mariah Carey's 2005 song “It's Like That,” which peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100. Over the years, he would appear on tracks by Skrillex (“Recess”), David Guetta (“Love” Is Back”) and Ciara (“Level Up” remix), among many others.
