Mr. Catra Biography: Albums, Children, Net Worth, Movies & TV Shows, Songs, Age, Death

Wagner Domingues Costa, widely known by his stage name Mr. Catra, was a Brazilian funk singer, rapper, songwriter and actor whose bold style and provocative lyrics made him a prominent figure in Brazil’s funk carioca movement.

He became publicly known not only for his music—often marked by his distinctive laugh at the beginning or end of songs—but also for his very large family, outspoken personality, and role in pushing boundaries of lyrical expression in Brazilian popular music.

Profile

• Full name: Wagner Domingues Costa
• Stage name: Mr. Catra
• Date of birth: November 5, 1968
• Age (at passing in 2018): 49 years
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• State of origin: Rio de Janeiro
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Profession: Singer, rapper, songwriter, actor
• Parents: Manuel Costa (father) and Elza Costa (mother)
• Siblings: N/A
• Partner(s): He had multiple long-term relationships; at his death he was survived by three partners (companions)
• Children: 32 recognized children, with multiple women; two of them were adopted and HIV positive
• Relationship status: Poliafetiva/unions with more than one woman at the same time (non-monogamous)
• Religion: Converted to Judaism (around 2011)
• Ethnicity: Brazilian (Afro-Brazilian descent)
• Net worth: R$15 million at the time of his death

Early Life and Education

Wagner Domingues Costa was born in Rio de Janeiro on November 5, 1968, in the Morro do Borel neighborhood in the Tijuca area. His biological parents were Manuel Costa and Elza Costa. However, he was adopted (or informally raised) by Edgar Luiz Pinaud (a relative in his adoptive family, sometimes reported as his “father figure”) and grew up with the support of the Pinaud family.

During his youth, he attended Colégio Pedro II (Unidade Tijuca), where he claimed involvement in student leadership. He enrolled in law school (at Universidade Gama Filho) and studied law for about two years but did not complete the degree or go on to practice formally as a lawyer.

Mr. Catra claimed fluency or knowledge of multiple languages in addition to his native Portuguese: English, French, German, and Hebrew.

It was in his youth that he also performed in a rock band called “O Beco”, playing guitar at school and college events, before later transitioning into funk and hip-hop.

Personal Life

Mr. Catra was well known for having a very large and complex family structure. Officially, he left 32 recognized children at his death.

Among those children, two were adopted—both HIV positive (they were reportedly nieces/nephews of a house employee whose mother had died).

One of his biological children died at age 5, which reportedly had a deep emotional impact on him. He maintained polygynous or polyamorous relationships: at his death, he left three women with whom he had co-habited or had enduring relationships.

Catra described that all his women knew of each other and that he was not “unfaithful” in his own view, since the relationships were open and consensual.

He claimed spiritual motivations for his conversion to Judaism, saying that a visit to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem profoundly moved him.

He also expressed political or philosophical ideas later in life, for instance declaring sympathy with monarchy restoration in Brazil in interviews in 2017.

Career

Mr Catra’s musical career began in the 1980s when he played guitar in the rock band O Beco, performing at small venues, school events, and college festivals. By the early 1990s, he became interested in funk and hip-hop, moving toward the Rio de Janeiro “funk carioca” style.

With producer Primo Preto, he co-founded Rapsoulfunk, an enterprise which acted as a record label, fashion brand, and organizer of baile funk/hip-hop events in Rio and São Paulo.

In 1994, he released his debut album O Bonde dos Justos, which included the song “Vida na Cadeia” and other tracks that attracted attention for their direct, gritty style. Later, Warner Music Brazil signed him (in 1999) and released O Fiel, which helped expand his reach beyond the Rio scene.

Over his career, he released multiple albums, including Bonde do Tesão, Proibidão Liberado, Humildade é Tudo, Poder da Favela, Com Todo Respeito ao Samba, and Mr. Catra & Os Templários (a rock‐influenced project)

He often mixed funkeiro lyrical styles (sexual explicitness, social critique, favela life) with parody, humor, and crossover elements with rock and rap. He collaborated with several Brazilian artists, e.g. on “Mansão Thug Stronda” with Bonde da Stronda, on “Kong” with Neymar & Alexandre Pires, and with Valesca Popozuda on “Mama”.

In 2015 he formally launched a rock side project under the name Mr. Catra & Os Templários, blending funk and heavier instrumentation. In 2017, he stirred controversy when a video surfaced in which he named members of the criminal faction Família do Norte (FDN) and encouraged sexual relations with them.

Net Worth

Mr. Catra’s had an estimated net worth of at least R$15 million at the time of his passing.

Death

In January 2017, Mr. Catra was diagnosed with stomach (gastric) cancer. Despite treatment, his condition worsened, and he passed away on September 9, 2018 in São Paulo, Brazil, due to complications from the illness. He was 49 years old.

Controversy

Mr. Catra’s career was not without controversy. His lyrics often skirted or crossed into themes of explicit sexuality, criminal life, and faction politics. Some of his tracks were accused of apologia do crime (glorification of crime).

The 2017 video in which he named members of Família do Norte and invited women to associate with them sparked a police inquiry. He claimed the video responded to fan requests, denying any real personal connection or endorsement of criminal activity.

Additionally, his personal relationships and inheritance issues also saw public debate, especially regarding how his estate would be divided among multiple partners and children under Brazilian law, given his poliafetiva arrangements.

Social Media

• N/A

Filmography

• O Homem do Ano (2003)
• Quase Dois Irmãos (2004/2005)
• Sou Feia Mas Tô na Moda (2005)
• O Roubo da Taça (2016)
• Internet: O Filme (2017)

Television appearances:

• Saturday Night Live Brasil
• Vai que Cola
• Programa do Porchat
• Luciana by Night
• Agora é Tarde
• Legendários
• CQC

Discography

• O Bonde dos Justos (1994)
• O Segredo do Altíssimo (1996)
• O Fiel (1999)
• Bonde do Tesão (2001)
• Proibidão Liberado (2004)
• Humildade é Tudo (2007)
• Poder da Favela (2008)
• Com Todo Respeito ao Samba (2012)
• Mr. Catra & Os Templários (rock project / EP)