New York rapper Fatman Scoop, who scored an unlikely international hit in the early 2000s with “Be Faithful” and won a Grammy for his contribution to Missy Elliott’s hit “Lose Control,” died earlier today (Aug. 31) after collapsing during a performance at a free concert in Hamden, Ct. He was 53.
Scoop, whose real name was Isaac Freeman III, received immediate medical attention onstage while other performers led the audience in a prayer, per video footage from the event. He was then taken to a local hospital.
“He was the laughter in our lives — a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage,” the artist’s family said in a statement. “Fatman Scoop was known to the world as the undisputed voice of the club. 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.”
DJ/producer Pure Cold, who worked with Scoop, wrote on social media, “I am honestly lost for words. You took me all over the world and had me performing alongside you on some of the biggest and greatest stages on this planet. The things you taught me have truly made me the man I am today.”
Thanks to the enduring popularity of “Be Faithful,” which was a New York club hit several years before it was officially released and then topped the U.K. singles chart in 2003, Scoop often performed across the Atlantic. He was scheduled to appear at the Reminisce Festival in Saint Helens, England on Sept. 7; organizers wrote on Instagram that “his absence will be profoundly felt by everyone. He was not just one of our most popular performers, he was a cherished member of the Reminisce family.”
On the heels of “Be Faithful,” Scoop guested on “Lose Control” and shared in Elliott’s 2005 Grammy for Best Shortform Music Video. That same year, he appeared on Mariah Carey’s top 20 hit “It’s Like That.”
Since then, the rapper collaborated with everyone from David Guetta, Wisin & Yandel and Skrillex to Ciara, Smino and Hardwell. Yesterday, he debuted the video for “Let It Go,” a new song with Dyce Paso.
“I want to thank Fatman Scoop for being an embodiment of what hip hop was truly about — to just forget about your troubles and live in the moment and allow joy in,” Questlove wrote on Instagram.