Mauro Mateus dos Santos

(Died: 01-24-2003)

PAULO, Brazil (AP) –

Brazilian rap music performer Sabotage died after being shot four times early Friday morning, authorities said.

Sabotage, whose real name is Mauro Mateus dos Santos, was shot in the head and chest shortly before dawn as he returned home from a party.

Police have no leads in the attack, except for a ski mask found close to the crime scene.

Santos, 29, was a drug dealer in a Sao Paulo slum before his 2001 album, “Rap is Commitment,” and his soundtrack for the Beto Brant film ‘O Invasor’ (‘The Invader’) propelled him to fame.

His brother coined the nickname ‘Sabotage’ in 1982, he said.

“My brother used to say, ‘Damn, this kid just goes round causing sabotage. . . sabotage, sabotage, sabotage,’ and it stuck,” Santos said.

Santos was preparing to travel to the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, and was recording songs for his third Album.

He is survived by a wife and three children.