US rapper Fatman Scoop died shortly after collapsing on stage while performing at Connecticut on Friday.
Scoop whose legal name is Isaac Freeman III died aged 53.
He was halfway through his set at the Town Center Park in the city of Hamden when he collapsed,
Mayor Lauren Garrett said he rapper was rushed to a local hospital.
In a tribute, Scoop’s family said he was “a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life.”
“FatMan Scoop was not just a world class performer, he was a father, brother, uncle and a friend,” his family said.
“He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage.”
Scoop has been credited as an influential figure in New York City’s hip hop scene in the 1990s.
He has featured on popular songs including Grammy award-winning Lose Control by Missy Elliott and It’s Like That by Mariah Carey.
Scoop is also known for his sleeper hit Be Faithful, which was originally released in 1999 but garnered international success in 2003, topping the charts in Ireland and the UK.
In 2004, the rapper was featured in the UK TV series Chancers on Channel 4, which featured musicians mentoring aspiring UK artists looking to achieve success in the US.
Fatman Scoop was also a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother 16: UK vs USA, which was housed in the UK and aired in 2015. He was the third housemate to be evicted.
He was due to perform at the UK’s Reminisce Festival on 7 September.
