Patrick Lamark Hawkins, better known by his stage name Fat Pat, was a 27-year-old African American rapper from Houston, Texas. On February 3, 1998, Fat Pat was fatally shot by an unknown gunman at the Meadows Southwest Apartment Complex on 10440 South Drive in Houston, Texas. He was shot in the corridor outside an apartment where he had gone to collect an appearance fee from a promoter who was not home at the time. Fat Pat's murder remains unsolved to this day.
Following his death, conflicting reports emerged regarding the circumstances of the murder. One report claimed that the promoter, Kenneth "Weasel" Watson, shot Fat Pat because he thought Fat Pat had set him up to get robbed. According to this report, Kenneth asked Fat Pat to call his friend who had just robbed him, and while Fat Pat was on the phone, Kenneth shot him in the head. Police sought Kenneth for questioning, but no charges were ever brought against him. Kenneth is currently in prison on drug charges.
Rumors also swirled that Fat Pat was killed over an unpaid debt. This same debt was believed to have played a part in the murder of Fat Pat's brother, rapper Big Hawk, who was also shot to death by an unknown assailant eight years later. Despite multiple investigations, no one has ever been charged in connection with Fat Pat's killing.
Fat Pat's legacy lives on through his music, which continues to be played heavily in the Houston area. His posthumous albums, including "Ghetto Dreams" and "Throwed in da Game," were released after his death and have contributed to his enduring influence in the hip-hop community. His brother, Big Hawk, also honored Fat Pat by making a documentary titled "Fat Pat: Ghetto Dreams" in 1999.
The unsolved nature of Fat Pat's murder has left many questions unanswered and continues to be a topic of interest and speculation within the hip-hop community and beyond.
