Outlawz Member Young Noble Dead at 47

Young Noble -- a rapper who worked closely with Tupac Shakur -- has died by suicide ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Noble -- born Rufus Lee Cooper III -- died in Atlanta Friday morning.

Our sources say he died from a gunshot wound that appears self-inflicted at this time. We've reached out to local authorities for more information.

Noble got his big break in hip hop after joining the Outlawz rap group in early 1996 ... becoming the last member of the group personally added by 2Pac.

Noble appeared on four songs on Pac's album "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory" ... including "Hail Mary." The album debuted in November 1996 -- just a couple months after Tupac was tragically killed in Las Vegas.

Young Noble released several solo studio albums, including "Noble Justice" and "Son of God."

Noble suffered a severe heart attack back in 2021 ... revealing he was grateful for a second chance in an Instagram post he made in May of that year. We're told Noble was playing basketball with friends recently and didn't show any signs of illness.

Noble was 47.

RIP