MC Felipe Boladão

Origin

Santos, SP

Also known as

Felipe Boladao, Felipe Wellington da Silva Cruz

Years active

2005–2010

Genres

funk paulista, conscious funk

Biography

MC Felipe Boladão, artistic name of Felipe Wellington da Silva Cruz, was born in Santos on February 25, 1989, and passed away in Praia Grande on April 10, 2010. He was a Brazilian singer and songwriter of funk paulista, widely recognized as one of the most important and influential voices in the history of Brazilian funk. Born in Vila de São Jorge, in the Northwest Zone of Santos, he became the main pillar and consolidator of conscious funk in the state of São Paulo, standing out for his sophisticated social chronicles about life in the favelas.

Starting his journey in the dance party circuit of the Baixada Santista in 2005, Boladão differentiated himself from other subgenres by composing lyrics that addressed messages of peace, spirituality, overcoming adversity, and the consequences of socioeconomic inequality. Songs like "A Viagem", "Tony Country", "Como num Filme de Ação", "Minha Trajetória", and "Fita Lançada" became anthems of São Paulo's urban culture and influenced the emergence of funk ostentação, serving as an inspiration for artists like MC Primo and MC Duda do Marapé.

On April 10, 2010, at the age of 21, the artist and his producer DJ Felipe were murdered in Praia Grande, in a crime that was part of a series of executions of funk artists in the Baixada Santista. The tragic event sparked intense national shock and laid bare the institutional prejudice against the genre. His legacy remains alive and was immortalized in Santos with the creation of Funk Day, celebrated annually on February 25, the date of his birthday, consolidating his memory as the cultural heritage of the peripheries.