The Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, known professionally as El Taiger, was pronounced dead this Thursday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he had been hospitalized for a week following a gunshot wound to the head.
An official statement posted on the artist's Instagram page confirms the tragic passing of the 37-year-old musician: "Unfortunately, this afternoon, El Taiger was pronounced dead and has now reunited with his beloved mother in heaven."
The cousin of the singer and director of Los Cuatro, Jorge Junior, stated that the incident occurred at 12:40 PM.
The statement indicates that on the morning of October 4, the musician "fell victim to a senseless violent crime. He was found near Jackson Memorial Hospital and was immediately taken to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit."
He also expresses his gratitude to the medical team, who "worked tirelessly to provide him with the highest level of care" to the interpreter of La Historia.
Finally, he calls on the followers of the popular musician, who ventured into various genres - reggaeton, cubatón, fashatón, trap, reparto, boleros, sones, guajiras - throughout his fruitful career, to "honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many."
"The Taiger was the people's sentiment, and now we must keep that feeling alive through his music and his legacy," he emphasizes.
The statement clarifies that a memorial service will be announced soon so that "Big Tai" fans can say their goodbyes.
For several days now, the artist's condition had shocked the Cuban music community and his fans around the world, who closely followed his progress since he was hospitalized in critical condition last Thursday.
It also captured headlines in various media outlets in Cuba, the United States, and Spain, where its song "La Historia" was the anthem of two consecutive summers.
El Taiger, considered by many to be the most important reggaeton singer of his generation in Cuba, was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where his health condition was critical after the bullet affected part of his brain.
On October 7, the Miami police offered a reward of $5,000 for information leading to the capture of Damián Valdez-Galloso, alias "El Narra," the main suspect in the attack against El Taiger.
According to authorities, there is evidence that dismisses the theory of a suicide attempt and identifies Valdez-Galloso, who has a criminal record, as a key person of interest in the investigation. He is currently at large.
The passing of El Taiger, who referred to himself as "The beast, the machine, the animal," marks a significant loss for urban music on the island. Throughout his career, he transformed the landscape of reguetón, cubatón, trap, and other genres that have been instrumental in shaping Cuban popular culture over the last 15 years.
His songs, which became anthems for a generation, along with his unique style, established him as one of the great artists of rap and reggaeton on the island.
Throughout his career, he collaborated with renowned artists such as J Balvin, Cosculluela, and Bad Bunny. El Taiger stood out for his authenticity and his refusal to conform to the rules of the music market, choosing instead to follow his own path and remain true to his roots.
El Taiger was not only a musical icon but also a cultural reference for many young Cubans who, amid the severe crisis in Cuba in recent years, saw in him a figure that gave them a voice and, in a way, represented their dreams and aspirations.
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