Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage in Connecticut

Fatman Scoop, the rapper who topped charts in Europe with 'Be Faithful' in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by such artists as Missy Elliott and Ciara, died after collapsing on stage at a show in Connecticut, according to officials and his family.

Fatman Scoop, the rapper who topped charts in Europe with "Be Faithful" in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by such artists as Missy Elliott and Ciara, died after collapsing on stage at a show in Connecticut, according to officials and his family. He was 53.

The cause of his death wasn't immediately clear.

He was performing at Hamden Town Center Park when he collapsed Friday evening, town chief of staff Sean Grace said Saturday. Mayor Lauren Garrett posted on Facebook that he had a medical emergency. Concertgoers and paramedics tried to aid the artist, who was taken to a hospital, she said.

His family said in an Instagram post that "the world lost a radiant soul, a beacon on stage and in life."

With a gravelly voice and dance-floor-friendly sensibility, Fatman Scoop was a mainstay of club playlists around the turn of the millennium. But if the world knew him as the "voice of the club," his family cherished him as "the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage," his relatives said.

"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," they added, saying he leaves a legacy "of love and brightness."

Born Isaac Freeman III, Fatman Scoop was from New York City's Harlem neighbourhood and broke out with 1999's "Be Faithful." What started as a minor success in the U.S. took off in Europe with a 2003 re-release, hitting No. 1 on the singles charts in the U.K. and Ireland.