- American rapper Fatman Scoop, died onstage whilst performing on August 30th.
- His death serves as a reminder to us of the hadith: “Every servant [of Allah] will be resurrected upon the way they died. “【Sahih Muslim 2878】
American rapper and hype man Fatman Scoop (birth name Isaac Freeman) known for his gruff, raw, and loud on-stage voice, collapsed and died onstage while performing in Hamden, Connecticut on 30th August.
Scoop rose to fame with his 2003 hit alongside Faith Evans, the widow of The Notorious B.I.G. He won two Grammys and worked with a whole host of prominent singers. He also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother UK in 2015. Scoop passed away at the age of 56 and his nickname, “Fatman Scoop,” was derived from his larger physique and his fondness for ice cream.
Bending forward over the mix table, the star continued to hype up the crowd, taking a prolonged pause after saying, “If you came to party…”
“Make some noise!”
At that moment, Freeman’s words trailed off and he suddenly dropped to the ground.
Another performer stopped the music and continued to talk to the crowd as emergency responders rushed over and starting giving him chest compressions.
Scoop’s death serves as a poignant reminder to us all of the following hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every servant [of Allah] will be resurrected upon the way they died.”【Sahih Muslim 2878】
Music is haram, there is much evidence to suggest so. However, even if you consider it permissible, the messages conveyed by mainstream rappers do not promote goodness; instead, they spread harmful influences and corruption on the land.
The aforementioned hadith emphasises that a person will be resurrected in the same condition or state as when they passed away, which stresses the importance of striving to maintain righteousness throughout one’s life.
Furthermore, there are those who, at the moment of death, find themselves unable to utter the Shahadah, as their tongues are sealed due to a life not lived in accordance with this profound declaration.
This Hadith serves as a sobering reminder to myself first and foremost and to us all. It is all too easy to drift through life in a state of heedlessness. We certainly do not want Malik al-Mawt to find us engaged in something meaningless or sinful, or merely pursuing fame and money. Instead, we hope to be found at the pinnacle of our eman.
None of us can foresee the manner of our death, and given that our hearts are constantly wavering, we should earnestly recite the following dua, a supplication that Rasool Allah (saw) often recited:
‘Ya Muqallibal qulub, thabbit qalbi ‘ala dinik. ‘ Translation: O Turner of hearts, keep my heart steadfast on your Deen.
May we all be able to deliberate thoughtfully on the legacy we intend to leave behind in our lives. And may we not be among those who serve as cautionary examples for others. Ameen
