Cuban video creator Mayel Bosque, known as @mayelbosque, couldn't hold back tears after listening to a viral audio clip circulating on social media. The clip features an interview with El Taiger, where he speaks poignantly about his mother following the artist's untimely death. In a heartfelt TikTok video, Mayel is visibly moved as El Taiger's voice resonates in the background, saying, "I promised my mom to be free... it's enough to do in this world of weak men what you said you would do." These words from the reggaeton artist, who never fully recovered from losing his mother, have deeply affected his fans.
In the video description, Mayel expressed, "It hurts to know we will listen to your songs as we do El Dany's, and it will hurt," drawing a parallel between El Taiger's loss and that of El Dany, another beloved figure in the Cuban community. "Twenty years of listening to you, champ, and you left us because they killed you. Rest easy, enjoy being with your parents now, you're a legend, and you left us as the voice of your people," he wrote, bidding farewell to the reggaeton icon who shaped a generation of Cubans both on the island and in exile.
Fans Express Their Grief
Supporters of El Taiger, a leading figure in Cuban urban music, have shared their sorrow and pain in comments: "The best in the world is Cuba's tranca, he will always be in our hearts, rest in peace"; "Very sad, it truly hurt a lot, I can't stop thinking about him, no one has the right to take another's life"; "That's beautiful, brother, may God bless him always."
Tragic End to a Promising Life
El Taiger, whose real name was José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, tragically passed away in Miami after being shot in the head on October 3. He remained hospitalized for a week until his death was confirmed on October 10 at the Jackson Memorial Hospital. His passing has left a profound void among his fans, colleagues, friends, and the Cuban community, both on the island and abroad.
The funeral for El Taiger is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the San Lázaro Catholic Church in Hialeah, Miami, starting at 1:30 p.m. According to his cousin Jorge Junior, the leader of the group Los 4, the ceremony will be open to the public.