Atlanta rapper Young Scooter dies on his 39th birthday after attempting to flee police

On his birthday, the 39-year-old Atlanta rapper Young Scooter, who had contracts with Future and Waka Flocka Flame, passed away.

Variety was informed by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office of the rapper’s death, with a statement that he was taken to the Grady Marcus Trauma Center in Atlanta by emergency medical services on Friday. As an autopsy has yet to be completed, the cause of death is presently undetermined.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Scooter died while trying to escape from police officers. After jumping over two fences, he hurt his leg and later died from the injury in the hospital.

Born as Kenneth Edward Bailey, Scooter established a formidable presence in the Atlanta rap scene over his career, becoming one of the initial artists signed to Future’s Freebandz label and later to Waka Flocka Flame’s Brick Squad Monopoly under Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records. He built a fanbase through his consistent release of mixtapes, collaborating with Zaytoven and Gucci Mane. In 2018, he made his debut on the Billboard Hot 100 by featuring on Juice WRLD and Future’s “Jet Lag.”

Originating from Walterboro, South Carolina, Scooter relocated to the Kirkwood Community of Atlanta when he was nine years old. After facing a drug trafficking charge in 2008, he opted to pursue a career in music and collaborated with his childhood friend Future on several projects. Scooter may not have been a chart titan, but he maintained a steady presence in Atlanta hip-hop throughout the 2010s commercial boom, featuring on singles by Future and Young Thug and collaborating with artists like Juicy J, Kodak Black, and Rick Ross.

During a 2013 interview with Complex, Scooter provided details about his unconventional flow, which he referred to as “count music.” “As long as it’s about some money, I don’t really care what I say on a beat,” he said. „Der Versuch, intensiv nachzudenken und es schriftlich festzuhalten, führt dazu, dass es nicht gut wird.“

Scooter stayed active over the years, with his latest release being his fourteenth project, “Trap’s Last Hope,” in March 2024. The album, which was released independently, included guest appearances by Future, EST Gee, and Peewee Longway.