Grammy-winning rapper dies after collapsing on stage during US show

(NZ Herald) - Rapper Fatman Scoop, 53, has died after collapsing on stage in front of a crowd of horrified fans.

The singer, born Isaac Freeman III, fell while performing in Hamden Town Centre Park, Connecticut, on Friday and was rushed to hospital.

Disturbing footage of his medical emergency showed fans screaming as Scoop clambered onto a platform before disappearing from view as a medical team raced to revive him.

His tour manager confirmed the musician’s passing on Saturday.

Scoop is a three-time Grammy Award-winner, and he had recently got into podcasting and reality TV.

His television appearances included Channel 5′s Celebrity Big Brother: UK vs USA.

In 2022 he was in New Zealand as official MC and hype man for Friday Jams at Auckland’s Western Springs. Before the event he did a shout out to then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, in an attempt to get her to DJ his set. He returned in 2023 for Fridayz Live.

He had been due to perform at Britain’s Reminisce Festival on September 7.

A spokesperson for the event said 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.”

Footage captured by the audience showed his collapse came just after he shouted at fans: “Let’s make some noise!”

The shirtless rapper then walked to the back of the stage and approached a DJ booth, while yelling: “I said Hamden make some noise!”

When he then climbed stairs to the booth he appeared to start to struggle to breathe and he was heard panting as he tried to continue his performance from behind the stand.

He said, “If you came to party” before a pause, then bent forward as he added in slurred words, “Make some noise”.

Scoop then collapsed on the ground and dropped his microphone as screams of horror rang out.

Another clip of the shock moment showed a member of Scoop’s entourage walking to the DJ booth and switching the music off as a silence fell over the fans.

Authorities were dispatched to the scene at about 8.33pm, and the rapper was wheeled out of the venue on a stretcher to hospital where he received emergency treatment before dying.