Missy Elliott, Questlove, Nicki Minaj lead tributes to Fatman Scoop: “Truly one of the best voices in hip-hop”
Missy Elliott, Ciara, Questlove, Nicki Minaj and more have tribute to the late Fatman Scoop.
The legendary rapper, hypeman, DJ and producer – real name Isaac Freeman III – died on Saturday (August 31) at the age of 52. Scoop was rushed to hospital after collapsing on stage during a show in Connecticut the night before. His cause of death is still unknown. Since the news broke, multiple collaborators and other seminal figures in the musical world paid their respects to Scoop.
Timbaland posted a photo of Freeman behind his Grammy and MTV VMA awards, saying he was “lost for words” and that their 2001 collaboration ‘Drop’ – which recently resurged in popularity due to TikTok – was the opening song when he was on the ‘Out of This World’ tour.
Missy Elliott – who Freeman worked with for the 2005 Grammy Award-winning song ‘Lose Control’ – shared an Instagram reel with the caption: “Fatman Scoop’s VOICE & energy have contributed to SO MANY songs that made people feel HAPPY & want to DANCE for over [two] decades every time you hear them. His IMPACT is HUGE & will be NEVER be forgotten.”
Ciara was also featured on ‘Lost Control’. She also too took to social media and shared a video of Scoop recording his iconic vocals for the song. Beneath the clip, she said that Freeman was “truly one of the best voices in hip-hop,” adding “I’m so glad I got to experience your greatness! We will all miss you greatly.”
Nicki Minaj posted a photo of Fatman Scoop to her Instagram Stories and wrote: “To this iconic, charismatic, endearing Hip Hop legend. May your soul rest in perfect peace. You brought so much happiness to this world. May the Lord reward you.”
“Scoop was one of those people that reminded you what the word LOVE Truly means,” Ludacris wrote beneath his own tribute post. “It’s an ACTION and, with his ACTIONS, he exuded the PUREST form of Passion For HIP-HOP. Every human being that he came Into contact with felt that LOVE & that PASSION. THIS is the Type Of LEGACY WE should ALL continue from here on until ETERNITY.”
Questlove penned a lengthy message where he paid tribute “on behalf” of many groups of people, including “all the $100 bill (& $50 & $20 & $10— because inclusivity was key) owners,” “all the loud af Single Ladies,” and “all human beings whose hands have the ability to raise up”.
He ended the caption by saying: “I want to thank Fatman Scoop for being an embodiment of what hip-hop was truly about. To just forget about your troubles and live in the moment and allow joy in.”
Fatman Scoop’s family shared an official statement on the hip-hop superstar’s Instagram page, referring to him as “a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life” who was a “world-class performer” as well as “a father, brother, uncle and a friend.”
Beneath the piece, Sean Kingston, Jordin Sparks, Sean Paul, Steve Aoki, Snoop Dogg, Ty Dolla $ign, Blxst and more commented – sharing their condolences with the family.
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