Isaac Freeman III (August 6, 1968[a] – August 30, 2024), better known by his stage name Fatman Scoop, was an American rapper, hype man, and radio personality. Noted for his booming, raw vocal presence on various hip hop songs, he was best known for his guest performances on the 2005 singles "Lose Control" by Missy Elliott and "It's Like That" by Mariah Carey, as well as his 1999 sleeper hit single, "Be Faithful" (featuring the Crooklyn Clan), which topped the UK Singles Chart in 2003.
Freeman adopted the stage name "Fatman Scoop" from the nickname given to him by his Uncle Jack as a child, because he loved ice cream.[12] He first came to prominence with the release of the single "Be Faithful", featuring the Crooklyn Clan,[13] which topped the charts in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in October 2003, four years after its original release,[2] and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Denmark and Australia.[citation needed]
In 2004, Fatman Scoop was featured in the UK TV series Chancers, broadcast on Channel 4, mentoring six British musicians trying to achieve success in the United States.[15][16] In 2007, he had a role on the animated television series The Boondocks,[5] appearing as himself in season 2, episode 5, "The Story of Thugnificent" and episode 15, "The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2" from the same season.[17][18] In 2008, Fatman Scoop and his then-wife Shanda Freeman hosted a reality show and podcast on MTV[17] called Man and Wife. The show covered topics such as jobs, finance, relationships, and sex.[19]
On August 27, 2015, Fatman Scoop entered the Celebrity Big Brother 16: UK vs. USA house in the United Kingdom as a contestant. On September 14, he was the third housemate to be evicted, on day 20 where he finished in 11th place.[5]
In July 2018, Fatman Scoop was featured on the remix to Ciara's single "Level Up", which also featured Missy Elliott; the single remix was the first song to feature all three artists since 2005's "Lose Control".[20][21][14]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, being unable to travel, Fatman Scoop had to give up being a hype man, so he started up other businesses, including trucking and an ice cream company.[19]
On August 30, 2024, Fatman Scoop released two collaborations; the first, with Bingo Players and Disco Fries on the single "Our House". The second was "Let It Go" with Dyce Payso; an official music video was released on the same day.[22][23] "Our House" heavily samples the instrumental to singer Ray J's 2001 single "Wait a Minute".[24]
Personal life and death
Freeman had two children. He married twice, once to Shanda Freeman. They divorced after 13 years together.[19]
On August 30, 2024, Freeman collapsed during a performance in Hamden, Connecticut; CPR was administered at the scene and he was rushed to a nearby hospital.[5] The following day, it was announced that he had died at the age of 56.[a][2]
Discography
Compilation albums
Fatman Scoop's Party Breaks: Volume 1 (2003)
In the Club (2006)
Party King (2015, Japan only)
Singles
List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
^ abcdSome early news reports about Freeman's death stated that he was 53 and/or born in 1971.[1] However, others have given his birth year as 1968 and his age as 56,[2][3][4] including multiple sources that initially said he was 53 but subsequently issued corrections.[5][6][7][8][9]
^The US chart positions for "Be Faithful" are from the single's original release in 1999; all other chart positions are from the single's 2003 re-release.
^The US chart positions for "It Takes Two" are from the single's original release in 2000; all other chart positions are from the single's 2004 remix.
^Zee, Michaela (August 31, 2024). "Fatman Scoop, 'Be Faithful' Rapper, Dies After Collapsing on Stage". Variety. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024. Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Fatman Scoop was 53 after his talent agency confirmed that to Variety. He was actually 56 years old (born on Aug. 6, 1968).
^Yousif, Nadine (August 31, 2024). "Fatman Scoop dies after collapsing on stage during US show". BBC Home. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024. Update 3 September 2024: This article has been amended to say that Fatman Scoop was 56, after widespread reports incorrectly said he was 53.
^Williams, Precious (October 23, 2004). "The only way is up". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2023.