Brazilian rapper Daniel Pellegrine, known as MC Daleste, was shot in the abdomen while he was performing in a concert on Saturday night in the city of Campinas, a 100 km from Sao Paulo, official sources said.
The Civil Police of Sao Paulo released an statement to announce the start of an investigation into the murder. According to officials, a video of the precise moment of the crime, which was later posted online, is considered "important." The recording is now the focus of their investigations as they searched for Pellegrine's killer. The 90-second video was uploaded to YouTube and it has nearly 4 million views.
In the video, recorded by someone from the audience, MC Daleste can be seen introducing his next song when he suddenly gets shot in the abdomen and falls to the ground. Others on the stage come to his aid, and although he was taken to the hospital immediately, he was pronounced dead early Sunday.
MC Daleste was performing at a public housing building in the neighborhood of San Martin, reported Brazilian news site Veja. Police informed there's no information regarding potential suspects and no arrests have been made.
Since the incident, fans have posted tributes on the rapper's official Facebook page. According to Billboard, someone posted a statement saying Pellegrine was a "victim of intolerance." The message read, "I hope God gives strength to the family, friends, and fans of my good friend MC Daleste, a guy who only wanted to convey joy to everyone through his music. It is a pity that the peace which we dream of, we often only get when we close our eyes."
The 20-year-old singer excelled at funk, a Brazilian style that's similar to rap. He was born in a favela ("slum") and was very popular among young people because of his strong lyrics with sexual or violent content. He was a member of the "Ostentatious Funk" scene, also called "Sao Paulo funk," a club genre offshoot of Rio's Funk Carioca. This brand of rap was known for its sexy groove and conscious messages.
In one of his latest songs, MC Daleste raps "killing the police is our goal" and includes a list of weapons over the sound of gunfire.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
