The tragic passing of José Manuel Carbajal, widely known as El Taiger, has sent shockwaves through the Cuban music scene. The artist passed away on October 10 at the age of 37, succumbing to injuries from a gunshot wound to the head sustained a week earlier. The somber news has resonated with numerous Cuban artists and has even captured the attention of international music figures, including J Balvin and Tekashi 6ix9ine.
J Balvin, who had shown his support for El Taiger in recent days, paid tribute by sharing a snippet of their collaborative track "Coronamos." He expressed heartfelt condolences, writing, "Rest in peace, José. Love you, Taiger."
Tekashi 6ix9ine bid farewell by highlighting his favorite song by the Cuban musician, "Zelle." He posted a clip from the music video, captioned, "La Tranka de Cuba. José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar. My favorite song of yours. May your soul rest in peace, Tanke."
Farruko also mourned El Taiger, sharing a photo of him and stating, "Rest in peace, musician of musicians." Puerto Rican artist Zion took to his stories to share an illustration as a farewell gesture. Meanwhile, Pinto offered a touching message on Instagram.
DJ Africa reminisced about his time with the Cuban artist, sharing several memories and expressing disbelief at his untimely death. "I still can't believe it... You left us too soon... You were the most creative, the most talented, always on top of the music game, a complete artist! Things were just getting good! Thank you for your friendship and for those beautiful moments we shared together!" he reflected.