The unexpected passing of Cuban reggaeton star El Taiger on Thursday afternoon has plunged his family, friends, and devoted fans into mourning. Outside Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, where El Taiger had been critically ill, hundreds of fans gathered throughout the week to pray for his recovery. Now, with the news of his death, they have returned to grieve.
"He was unparalleled in what he did. This is a profound loss that will impact many... we are loyal followers of his music," expressed a fan to Martí Noticias, standing outside the hospital.
Another Cuban mourner at the scene shared, "We didn't want to hear the news. Now he's resting in peace. I'm deeply saddened by this."
A third fan described the emotional impact, "It's something that moves you, that hurts. No one expected this. One day it's one thing, the next day something else, but suddenly, hearing from his cousin Jorge that he had passed, we felt it deeply."
In a video shared online, car horns could be heard blaring as a tribute to El Taiger.
An official statement released on the artist's Instagram page confirmed the tragic news of the 36-year-old musician's death: "Sadly, this afternoon, El Taiger was declared deceased and has now reunited with his beloved mother in heaven."
Jorge Junior, El Taiger's cousin and director of Los Cuatro, confirmed that the event took place at 12:40 pm.
Numerous artists and figures, especially from the Cuban reggaeton scene, have taken to social media to express their condolences.