Paying tribute to the life of hype man Fatman Scoop. The Town of Hamden held a vigil Friday evening, nearly a week after he collapsed on stage during a performance in town and later died.
“His music will live on forever,” Mark Griffin, of New Haven, said.
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Music people in the Greater New Haven area were dancing at Town Center Park in Hamden. This concert wasn’t merely a performance, but also, part of a candlelight vigil for the late Fatman Scoop.
“A hero. He was an artist. One of the greatest artists that I’ve seen since 2001,” Griffin said.
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Fans paid tribute to the DJ and hype man, trying to match his energy on stage.
“I remember him jumping up and down, jumping around and having us all jump around,” Cheryl Rabe, of New Haven, said.
Fatman Scoop, whose real name was Isaac Freeman III, was known for having a distinctive voice with guest performances on several chart-topping hip-hop hits.
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“He’s a legacy. He’s like Tupac but a DJ. With him and Bink-B together, they made music that night,” Rabe said.
Fatman Scoop was performing at Town Center Park as part of the 2024 Hamden Free Summer Concert Series last week before he collapsed on stage. He later died at the hospital.
“He died doing what he loved best and that was to entertain the crowd,” Griffin said.
While there were moments of grief in mourning Fatman Scoop’s passing, fans say the vigil would not have been authentic without celebrating his life, the way he would have done.
“He’d like us to be happy right now and be here in the spirit and carry on with his music still,” Rabe said.
Hamden town officials say grief counselors remain available for anyone who may have been affected by Fatman Scoop’s death.
