Ladislav Demeterffy, nicknamed Laci, the accordion player who rapped at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest for Croatia with the street band Kraljevi Ulice has died at the age of 78.

The exact cause of death will not be known until doctors carry out a post-mortem on his body.His band mates from Kraljevi Ulice, with whom he had been collaborating for the last ten years, say he complained of feeling unwell yesterday, when they last saw him. He died this morning at Vinogradska Hospital in the centre of Zagreb.

For the last two years, Laci had been living in an old folk's home. It is said he will be remembered as an individual with a great sense of humour.

He had been an accordion player for most of his life. When he won Dora, the Croatian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008, he decided to call himself 75 Cent, after his age at the time.

Kraljevi Ulice and 75 Cent came fourth in their semi-final in Belgrade, but only managed 21st place in the final. Kraljevi Ulice play on the streets of Zagreb, mainly outside the market on the city's main square.