A Cuban musician paid a heartfelt tribute to El Taiger by performing one of his most famous songs. Known on TikTok as Papito Caja 5ta, he shared a video where he strummed his guitar to the tune of “Papelito.” His soulful performance deeply touched fans of José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, who tragically passed away on October 10th due to a gunshot wound to the head.
After finishing the performance, visibly moved, he remarked, “Brother, we never met. I saw you from afar once. I wasn’t even a fan of your music—or I wasn’t before—but now, in many ways, I am. I truly admire the kind of fire you had because to me, you're still here and will continue to be.”
In his tribute, he acknowledged El Taiger's courage, saying it took immense bravery “to do everything you did, to reach the heights you did, to accomplish what you did, and to impose your presence, your light, your identity as a Cuban and as a human being.”
He continued, “You did things, you made mistakes. Let the one without sin write their first song. There are those who are almost spotless, but let’s be honest, even our thoughts can be sinful. All I want to say, my friend, is that wherever you are, I hope God grants light to your spirit.”
He concluded his emotional video with a heartfelt message, “I love you, even without knowing you, and one day we'll have to meet, that's a promise.”