To those closest to him, he was Isaac Freeman III, but to the rest of the world he was known as Fatman Scoop. Hip-hop's leading hype-man and entertainer, Scoop died on August 30th after collapsing on stage at a show in Connecticut doing what he loved – rocking the crowd. He was 56.
Less than two weeks later, Scoop's peers, friends and family gathered near the Harlem plays he grew up in at the famed Apollo Theater on Thursday (September 12) for a celebration of life ceremony.
Hundreds took part in the legendary venue and felt the whole range of emotions. There were laughs from funny stories, honest moments, tears shed and a few music parties along the way.
While Scoop appeared for so many whenever he was called upon in his decorated life, many recognizable faces returned the favor of being present at the ceremony. For perhaps the last time, Scoop and his recognizable bark brought people from different walks of life together for one last party.
Sway Calloway MC'd for the evening, while fellow Harlem native Teddy Riley, Jim Jones, A$AP Ferg, Busta Rhymes, DJ Webstar, Angie Martinez, Kid Kapri, Ron Browz, DJ Enuff and more either spoke or they played in some capacity. at night. Other familiar faces spotted in the crowd included LL Cool J, Maino, DJ Self, Treach, Datwon Thomas and more.
Beyond hits like “Be Faithful,” Grammy Awards and collaborations with the likes of Missy Elliott and Mariah Carey, there were a few traits that kept popping up in people's musings Thursday that spoke to the infallible nature of of Scoop as a great man beyond his art.
First, he was always a phone call — or a voice text — away, and he was coming for his friends, even if he didn't come with a bag. Second, Scoop doesn't get enough credit for how prolific an MC he was before he forged a different path as a pioneering entertainer. “[Scoop] he told me a story about how he was supposed to be the first Biggie. And, like, Biggie got his style,” Ferg said, prompting laughter from the audience.
Third, he never had any issues or beef with anyone in the industry. “Fatman Scoop is probably one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever met on this planet,” said Busta Rhymes. “I don't think I've ever met Fatman Scoop on an off day. I've never seen him angry, I've never seen him upset, I've never seen him sweat and worry about things outside of the moment he was on that stage and he broke a –.”
And four, the man stayed fresh and kept a bottle of Scope mouthwash on him at all times. “We had a crowd of people around and some girls were around, and Scoop was around and all the girls were paying attention to him,” Teddy Riley said. “Why? He had the cologne. He had the cologne game locked down, but he had the Scope game locked up, and that's why the girls wanted to be around him. He didn't have bad breath. I said to myself, 'If I do this, I'll did i bite?”
Fatman Scoop's contributions to Missy Elliott and Ciara's “Lose Control” earned him a Grammy Award and a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 3) in 2005. Outside of music, he has made waves as a reality star and overnight host on Hot 97 , where he claimed to have brought the first video camera to the station.
Hip-hop will be a little quieter without Fatman Scoop's signature raspiness and high-pitched scream, but his life from the party legacy is etched in rap lore. Scoop is survived by his two children – Torrance and Tiana Freeman – and his brother Kendall “Young Sav” Freeman.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/fatman-scoop-celebration-of-life-1235774537/
