Isaac Freeman III, better known by his stage name Fatman Scoop, tragically passed away during a performance in Hamden, Connecticut on Friday night. The 53-year-old rapper, originally from New York, was headlining the “Green & Gold Party” when he suffered a sudden medical emergency.
The incident occurred while Fatman Scoop was on stage at Town Center Park. Social media footage shows the rapper, shirtless and full of energy, hyping up the crowd before collapsing out of sight behind the DJ booth. Bystanders were seen performing chest compressions as other performers led the audience in prayer.
Emergency services were alerted to the situation at approximately 8:33 p.m. The concert, which was free to the public, had been scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. Fatman Scoop was quickly transported from the stage to a local hospital.
The event had originally been planned for the previous month, but was postponed due to poor weather conditions. Town Center Park, the venue for the concert, is situated six miles north of New Haven, Connecticut.
Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett confirmed the rapper’s medical emergency and subsequent hospitalization. In a Facebook post, she urged the public to keep Fatman Scoop in their thoughts and prayers.
Fatman Scoop rose to fame in the 1990s with his club hit “Be Faithful,” which has since garnered millions of views. He also featured on Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control,” which reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2005.
In addition to his solo work, Fatman Scoop collaborated with several other artists throughout his career. He appeared on Mariah Carey’s Grammy-nominated track “It’s Like That,” and worked with Timberland and Magoo, Nick Cannon, and Skrillex. On the morning of his death, Fatman Scoop and Dyce Paso released the official music video for their new song “Let It Go.”