Friends, colleagues, and followers of the Cuban singer Yamir Robinson Puente, known as "El Teacher" from the duo Kola Loka, are paying tribute on social media one day after his passing, which occurred this Monday at the age of 45 at the Infanta Margarita Hospital in Cabra, Córdoba, Spain.
The artist passed away after more than a year of battling a carcinoma that affected his lungs and other vital organs. The news was confirmed by his brother and bandmate Yasser Robinson Puente, who shared a tearful video on social media with the words: “I just received the call I never wanted to get.”
Among the first tributes, the Cuban restaurant Mar Adentro shared a video of Yamir singing in an intimate gathering with others, accompanied by an emotional message: "Today we want to honor and remember you by watching you enjoy with us. Thank you for giving us such beautiful moments that we will always carry in our hearts. We will remember you fondly. May God hold you in glory."
In the video, El Teacher performs excerpts from various songs by the group with the energy and humor that characterized him throughout his career.
The Cuban filmmaker Ian Padrón also joined the tributes with a post in which he shared almost never-before-seen photos from a filming session he conducted with the singer and the other members of the group.
"Yamir Robinson from the group Kola Loka has passed away. I had the pleasure of filming with him a few years ago, and we had an amazing time. I remember that 'EL TEACHER' even squeezed himself into a refrigerator to make us all smile," wrote Padrón.
The filmmaker shared images from that moment, one of which shows Yamir curled up inside a vintage turquoise refrigerator while others laugh around him, a scene that captures the vibrant and cheerful personality that his followers attribute to him.
Padrón extended his condolences to the artist's brother, Yasser Robinson Puente, his family, and his fans.
Kola Loka was founded in 2001 in Tercer Frente, Santiago de Cuba, originally as a trio alongside Ángel Torres Callard, "Angelón." Over time, the group transitioned to a duo and established itself in Miami, accumulating hits such as "No me da mi gana americana," "La estafa del babalao" and "Cuba se extraña," among other songs that made them prominent figures in Cuban urban music within the diaspora.
"Much light to you and my condolences to your brother Yasser Robinson Puente, your family, and your admirers," Ian Padrón concluded his post, with words that encapsulate the collective sentiment of those bidding farewell to one of the most beloved artists of Cuban popular music.
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