A MUCH-LOVED rapper has died in Brazil after suffering three cardiac arrests in the middle of the night.

Danilo Mariano Leão Laureano – known to fans as MC Danilo Boladão – passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

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Danilo Mariano Leão Laureano suffered three cardiac arrests on Wednesday nightCredit: Jam Press
 

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The rapper had reportedly been well in the days leading up to the tragedyCredit: Jam Press
His heartbroken widow, Thays Kolben, said the 47-year-old artist awoke feeling unwell and struggling to breathe.

After asking neighbours for help, they rushed the singer to an emergency care unit in Santos.

“When we got there, he had already had one cardiac arrest,” she explained.

“Then he had two more.”

Danilo sadly died at around 4.40am.

The rapper had lived with complications from diabetes since 2006, according to Creatorzine.

Over the years he had undergone several amputations to his lower body, including toes and part of his heel.

Despite these health challenges, his wife said he had appeared to be doing well in the days before his death.

To that end, he had not been experiencing any heart problems either.

“It was all very sudden, out of nowhere. No one was expecting it,” she said.

“He had an infection, took antibiotics for 10 days and was doing really well.

“He repeated the tests and everything was normal, everything stable.”

Doctors believe the fatal heart attack may have been linked to thrombosis.

However, post-mortem results are still pending to confirm the exact cause of death.

Danilo had built a strong following online, with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram.

His music often reflected on his tough upbringing in the tower blocks of a housing complex.

He was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the favela funk scene as part of the duo “Danilo e Fabinho”, formed with his childhood friend.

Unfortunately his career was put on hold when he was imprisoned, but he made a memorable comeback tour alongside Fabinho after his release in 2004.

Following the news of his death, Fabinho shared a touching tribute alongside a photo of the pair embracing, writing: “What kind of pain is this?”

Danilo is survived by Thays, an 18-year-old daughter from a previous marriage and a grandson.

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Doctors believe the heart attack may have been linked to thrombosisCredit: Jam Press
 

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Alongside childhood best friend, Danilo was a key pioneer of the favela funk sceneCredit: Jam Press