Heartfelt Letter from Chocolate MC to El Taiger from an Underground Cell: "Forgive Me"

From a maximum-security underground cell in Oklahoma, Cuban rapper Chocolate MC penned a poignant handwritten letter on June 19, addressed to his late colleague, El Taiger. This emotional document, shared on Instagram this Friday, blends themes of forgiveness, accusation, and a vow to persevere.

The letter, timestamped at 6:36 PM, is directed to José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar—artistically known as El Taiger and affectionately called "LBMA," The Most Animal Beast, by his fans—who was tragically killed in Miami on October 3, 2024, and succumbed to his injuries at the age of 37 a week later at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Chocolate MC, whose real name is Yosvani Sierra Hernández, describes his confinement as being "very close to you since while I am still alive, I am also underground, in a high-security prison in Oklahoma, in the box, where the cells resemble vaults, as do the beds, and the prisoners seem dead."

The artist clarifies his imprisonment stems from his efforts to pressure the Miami-Dade Police Department and the prosecutor's office to seek the death penalty for the accused murderer, Damián Valdez Galloso: "Here they have me, my brother, for demanding justice for you... and look who's being treated like a murderer—it's me."

After being sentenced in March 2026 to 10 years in prison plus five years of probation following a judicial agreement that resolved three cases—incitement to murder, kidnapping a fan, and hotel robbery—Chocolate MC was found guilty in November 2025 of offering $20,000 to anyone who would kill Valdez Galloso.

In his letter, he highlights the stark contrast between their respective legal proceedings: "The other bastard hasn't been tried yet, and my trial took less than six months, resulting in 15 years for me."

He also criticizes the Miami-Dade prosecution for overlooking the brutal details of the crime: the accused left El Taiger bleeding for over an hour, "got into another car, cleaned off the blood, changed clothes, and went into hiding in New York."

One of the letter's toughest passages involves self-reflection: "Forgive me. I apologize for not reciprocating all that love during your life, for not realizing that you were suffering just like I was, feeling as lonely as I did, and instead of supporting you, I was one of your harshest critics."

Chocolate MC also mourns the neglect he perceives surrounding El Taiger's memory: "Those artists who claimed to be your successors, who vowed to be LBMA forever, no longer mention you, and some are even involved with your women."

At one point, he contemplates the Cuban community's inaction in the face of injustice: "Unfortunately, we Cubans are used to seeing a Cuban kill another Cuban with no consequences, the indoctrination by those Castro dictators caused us too much harm."

This is the second public letter from the artist since his incarceration. The first, dated June 15, was addressed to his sister Isis Sierra and described the inhumane conditions of his cell. On June 22, El Taiger's grandmother, Magda Nidia Reyes Macías, passed away without seeing justice for her grandson.

The trial of Damián Valdez Galloso, who has pleaded not guilty and faces mandatory life imprisonment, is scheduled for July 7, 2026, though it has been postponed several times since 2024. Chocolate MC concludes his letter with a promise: "My conscience weighed so heavily that I risked my freedom to do something for you... and if they give me 15 more years for continuing to seek justice, I'd do it all over again."