HAMDEN, Conn. – Hip-hop artist Fatman Scoop, who collapsed onstage while performing in Connecticut last month, died of heart disease, the state medical examiner's office has determined.
The official cause of death for the performer, born Isaac Freeman III, was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a spokesperson for the Connecticut medical examiner's office said Wednesday.
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Fatman Scoop, 56, collapsed while performing in Hamden on Aug. 30 and was taken to a hospital.
His family said later on Instagram that “the world lost a radiant soul, a beacon on stage and in life.”
A New York City-born rapper and hype man, Fatman Scoop was known for his single “Be Faithful,” which topped charts in Europe in the early 2000s, and for his contributions to hits by Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey and others.
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 family members said. "His joy was infectious and the generosity he extended to all will be deeply missed but never forgotten.”
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This story has been corrected to note that Fatman Scoop was 56, not 53.