Young Scooter, Atlanta Rapper Signed to Future and Waka Flocka Flame, Dies at 39

Young Scooter, the Atlanta rapper who was signed to Future and Waka Flocka Flame, has died at the age of 39 on the same day as his birthday.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the rapper’s death to Variety, stating that he was transported by emergency medical services in Atlanta to the Grady Marcus Trauma Center on Friday. His cause of death is currently undetermined, as an autopsy has not been completed.

Born Kenneth Edward Bailey, Scooter developed a strong presence in Atlanta rap throughout his career, becoming one of the first artists signed to Future’s Freebandz label and later Waka Flocka Flame’s Brick Squad Monopoly under Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records. He culled a following based on his steady mixtape output, putting out records with Gucci Mane and Zaytoven, and earned his first Billboard Hot 100 appearance with a feature on Future and Juice Wrld’s “Jet Lag” in 2018.

Scooter was born in Walterboro, South Carolina, and moved to Atlanta’s Kirkwood Community at the age of nine. He decided to pursue a music career in 2008 after a drug trafficking charge, connecting with his childhood friend Future across several collaborations. Though not a chart titan, Scooter was a consistent presence in Atlanta hip-hop during its commercial boom in the 2010s, appearing on singles from Future and Young Thug and working with artists like Juicy J, Kodak Black and Rick Ross.

In an interview with Complex in 2013, Scooter elaborated on his off-kilter flow, which he described as “count music.” “I don’t really care what I say on a beat as long as it’s about some money,” he said. “When you try to think hard and write it out, that’s when it’s gonna be fucked up.”

Scooter remained active throughout the years, most recently releasing his fourteenth project, “Trap’s Last Hope,” in March 2024. That album, released independently, featured guest appearances from Future, EST Gee and Peewee Longway.