Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, known artistically as El Taiger, was declared dead this Thursday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he had been hospitalized for a week after being shot in the head.
An official statement published on the artist's Instagram page confirms the tragic outcome of the 37-year-old musician: "Unfortunately this afternoon, El Taiger was declared dead and is 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 "was the victim of a senseless violent crime. He was found near Jackson Memorial Hospital and immediately transferred to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit."
He also thanks the medical team, who "worked tirelessly to provide him with the highest level of care" to the interpreter of La Historia.
Lastly, he calls on the followers of the popular musician, who ventured into various genres - reggaeton, cubaton, fashaton, trap, reparto, boleros, sones, guajiras - during his fruitful career, to "honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many."
“El Taiger was the sentiment of the people 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 for "Big Tai" fans to say goodbye.
For several days, the artist's condition had shocked the Cuban music community and his followers around the world, who closely monitored his progress since he was hospitalized in critical condition last Thursday.
It also grabbed headlines from various media in Cuba, the United States, and Spain, where its song "La Historia" was the hit of two consecutive summers.
El Taiger, for many the most important reggaeton singer of his generation in Cuba, was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where his health condition was critical after a 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 the authorities, there is evidence that dismisses the theory of a suicide attempt and points to 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 managed to transform the landscape of reggaeton, cubatón, trap, and other genres that have been crucial in Cuban popular culture over the last 15 years.
His songs, which became anthems for a generation, and his unique style established him as one of the great artists of reggaeton and pop on the island.
During his career, he collaborated with artists such as J Balvin, Cosculluela, and Bad Bunny. El Taiger stood out for his authenticity and his refusal to adhere to the rules of the music market, in which he preferred 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 in the midst of the severe Cuban crisis of 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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