US rapper Fatman Scoop has died aged 53 after collapsing at his live performance on Friday in Connecticut, his consultant has informed the BBC.

He was midway via his set on the City Middle Park within the metropolis of Hamden when he collapsed on stage.

Mayor Lauren Garrett mentioned in a put up to Fb that the rapper was taken to an area hospital by ambulance.

However his reserving company, MN2S, confirmed his loss of life in an announcement to the BBC, saying the New York native’s “legacy will dwell on via his timeless music”.

“Scoop was a beloved determine within the music world, whose work was cherished by numerous followers throughout the globe,” an company spokesperson.

“His iconic voice, infectious power, and nice character made an indelible mark on the business.”

In a tribute on social media, Scoop’s household mentioned he was “a radiant soul, a beacon of sunshine on the stage and in life.”

“FatMan Scoop was not only a world class performer, he was a father, brother, uncle and a buddy,” his household mentioned.

“He was the laughter in our lives, a relentless supply of help, unwavering energy and braveness.”

Scoop, whose authorized title is Isaac Freeman III, has been credited as an influential determine in New York Metropolis’s hip hop scene within the Nineties.

He has featured on well-liked songs together with Grammy award-winning Lose Management by Missy Elliott and It’s Like That by Mariah Carey.

Scoop can be recognized for his sleeper hit Be Devoted, which was initially launched in 1999 however garnered worldwide success in 2003, topping the charts in Eire and the UK.

In 2004, the rapper was featured within the UK TV sequence Chancers on Channel 4, which featured musicians mentoring aspiring UK artists seeking to obtain success within the US.

Fatman Scoop was additionally a contestant on Celeb Huge Brother 16: UK vs USA, which was housed within the UK and aired in 2015. He was the third housemate to be evicted.

His tour supervisor, DJ Pure Chilly, wrote in a put up on Instagram that he was “misplaced for phrases” on the information of his buddy’s loss of life.

“You took me everywhere in the world and had me performing alongside you on among the greatest and biggest levels on this planet,” he wrote.

“The stuff you taught me have really made me the person I’m right this moment.”

Fatman Scoop was resulting from carry out on the UK’s Reminisce Pageant on 7 September. In a put up on Instagram, the competition known as the information of his loss of life “devastating”.

“He was not simply considered one of our hottest performers, he was a cherished member of the Reminisce household,” the competition mentioned.

“His power, expertise and infectious spirit will likely be missed greater than phrases can categorical.”