US rapper Fatman Scoop dies after collapsing on stage
US rapper and hype man Fatman Scoop has died aged 53.
The musician’s family confirmed the news with “profound sadness and very heavy hearts” in a post on his Instagram page.
Earlier, the artist, famous for his 2003 hit Be Faithful and its sampling of Faith Evans’s Love Like This, was seen collapsing on stage during a performance in Connecticut.
The New York-born rapper – whose real name is Isaac Freeman III – had taken off his shirt and walked behind a DJ booth when he appeared to fall.
Fatman Scoop in Bristol in June this year. Pic: AP
While those nearby tried to administer CPR to the performer, his hype men attempted to calm the crowd by playing more songs.
Lauren Garrett, the mayor of Hamden, wrote on Facebook earlier on Friday: “Tonight, while performing at Hamden Town Center Park, Isaac Freeman, aka Fatman Scoop, had a medical emergency on stage.
“He is being transported by ambulance to the hospital. We will provide updates when they are available. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.”
‘A radiant soul’
Fatman Scoop’s family said the world had “lost a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life”, adding that he was “not just a world class performer, he was a father, brother, uncle and a friend”.
They said: “He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength, and courage. FatMan Scoop was known to the world as the undisputed voice of the club.
“His much 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.”
Birch Michael – known as Pure Cold – also announced the musician’s death, and said in his statement: “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.”
Pic: Instagram / @itspurecold
Missy Elliott pays tribute
Missy Elliott, who collaborated with Scoop on her 2005 hit Lose Control, said his “voice and energy have contributed to many songs that made the people happy and want to dance for over two decades”.
“Your impact is huge and will never be forgotten,” she added.
Scoop’s talent agency MN2S also paid tribute to “our dear friend and client”, adding: “Scoop was a beloved figure in the music world, whose work was loved by countless fans across the globe.
“His iconic voice, infectious energy and great personality made an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy will live on through his timeless music.”
Sharron Elkabas, one of the founders of MN2S, said: “I spoke to him just a few days ago, and he was in such good spirits. It’s hard to believe he is no longer with us.”
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Festival remembers ‘cherished’ performer
Scoop is also known for his feature on Mariah Carey’s Grammy-nominated song It’s Like That, and for his collaborations with artists including Nick Cannon, Skrillex and Timbaland.
He was also known to UK audiences after appearing on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother: UK vs USA in 2015, and was the third housemate to be evicted.
Fatman Scoop in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July 2014. Pic: AP
The rapper was scheduled to perform in the UK in September at the Reminisce Festival in Saint Helens, which said on Facebook: “He was not just one of our most popular performers, he was a cherished member of the Reminisce family.
“His energy, talent and infectious spirit will be missed more than words can express.”
Donald Trump has said he is considering “taking away” the US citizenship of actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits a government from doing so.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, the US president said: “Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.”
He also labelled O’Donnell, who has moved to Ireland, as a “threat to humanity” and said she should “remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her”.
O’Donnell responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Mr Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.
“You are everything that is wrong with America and I’m everything you hate about what’s still right with it,” she wrote in the caption.
“I’m not yours to silence. I never was.”
Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Donald Trump secured a second term. Pic: AP
O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old son in January after Mr Trump had secured a second term.
She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage and that she would only return to the US “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America”.
O’Donnell and the US president have criticised each other publicly for years, in an often-bitter back-and-forth that predates Mr Trump’s move into politics.
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Will Trump address parliament on UK state visit?
This is just the latest threat by the president to revoke the citizenship of someone he has disagreed with, most recently his former ally Elon Musk.
But the two situations are different as while Musk was born in South Africa, O’Donnell was born in the US and has a constitutional right to American citizenship.
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Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, said the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the fourteenth amendment of the constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.
“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born US citizen,” he added.
“In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”
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