Rapper, radio personality, hype-man, Fatman Scoop has died following a medical emergency on stage in Connecticut Friday night, his tour manager confirmed Saturday.
The 53-year-old rapper was closing out Hamden’s summer concert series when he collapsed on stage.
“I said Hamden make some noise,” Freeman can be heard shouting as he walked towards the DJ booth.
Once behind the booth, Freeman continued to attempt to hype up the crowd, taking a long pause after saying, “If you came to party.” He then appeared to bend forward over the booth saying, “Make some noise.”
At that point, Freeman’s words trailed off and in the video he can be seen dropping to the ground. A separate performer can be seen stopping the music and addressing the crowd as emergency responders rush over to give the rapper CPR.
Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett said Fatman Scoop was transported by ambulance to the hospital after his collapse in the middle of his performance. “Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers,” she wrote.
The rapper’s tour manager, Birch Michael, confirmed Freeman’s death Saturday morning.
“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,” he wrote on Instagram.
Fatman Scoop had just released the music video for his song “Let It Go” with Dyce Payso on Friday morning.
The New York City native is best known for a long career as a radio personality and hip-hop hype man. One of his greatest hits was the 1999 jam “Be Faithful.” He also had guest performances on Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control” and “It’s Like That” by Mariah Carey.
Hamden’s Mayor Lauren Garrett later stated, “On behalf of the Town of Hamden, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Isaac Freeman, known as Fatman Scoop. He was a wonderful performer with a wide following as evidenced by the thousands of fans that came to see what would be his last performance at Hamden Town Center Park.
I am grateful to the audience members and to our paramedics that attempted to offer life-saving assistance. 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’s family has released an official statement on his Instagram.
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