Willie Colon’s Death Reverberates Across Latin Music — Tributes from Bad Bunny, Rubén Blades, Rauw Alejandro and More

Who feels the loss first is already clear: fellow artists, contemporary Latin stars and fans who drew identity and inspiration from the salsa era. The family confirmed that willie colon died Saturday morning at age 75; a cause of death was not disclosed. The passing has triggered public tributes onstage, on social platforms and in the setlists of musicians who have long cited his influence.

Willie Colon’s absence reshapes public moments and live stages

The immediate impact is cultural and performative: large arena stages and intimate social posts have become loci for collective remembrance. At a São Paulo stop on Debí Tirar Más Fotos, Bad Bunny paused his set to honor the salsa figure before launching into “NUEVAYoL, ” and fans in the room and online have been processing both the loss and the complicated legacy that followed Colón into later life.

How the tribute played out in São Paulo and on major stages

Bad Bunny paid tribute to the salsa legend during his world tour stop in São Paulo, Brazil, telling the crowd that the music and its Caribbean influence mattered to him before performing “NUEVAYoL. ” He referenced his live band Los Sobrinos and offered wishes of rest and strength for Willie Colón’s family. Separately, Bad Bunny has recently closed a Super Bowl LX halftime show with flags from countries in the Americas behind him, and he had just performed on the Grammys stage the prior weekend.

Responses from key artists and estates

Responses poured in across generations. Rubén Blades shared a short Instagram message that included condolences to Colón’s wife Julia, his children and family, and he said he would write more about their long friendship later. Rauw Alejandro paid tribute and linked his own 2024 album title, Cosa Nuestra, to Colón’s 1969 record of the same name, noting the artistic inspiration. Elvis Crespo praised Colón’s versatility and described a single backstage meeting in New York before thanking him. Marc Anthony acknowledged remaking several Colón-and-Lavoe classics for the 2007 El Cantante soundtrack and offered a message of gratitude. The estate of Celia Cruz reflected on their collaborative album Celia & Willie from 1981 and said it would treasure those moments.

• Willie Colón’s family confirmed his death; cause not disclosed.
• Colón was behind 1967’s El Malo with Héctor Lavoe and 1978’s Siembra with Rubén Blades; Siembra reached Number One on a best-salsa-albums list and became the best-selling salsa album of all time for decades.
• Bad Bunny paid tribute in São Paulo before performing “NUEVAYoL, ” referencing Los Sobrinos and offering strength to the family.
• Rauw Alejandro, Rubén Blades, Elvis Crespo, Marc Anthony and Celia Cruz’s estate all issued public remembrances.

Musical echoes, samples and the social-media reality

“NUEVAYoL, ” the Bad Bunny track that name-checks Colón, samples Andy Montañez Rodríguez’s rendition of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’s “Un Verano en Nueva York” layered over a dembow beat; the song itself is presented as an homage to Nuyorican icons including Colón. At the same time, many fans have noted that Colón held right-wing views later in life and that his Instagram and X presence included criticism of Bad Bunny. Still, when he was name-checked on the song’s release, Colón reacted positively and said he was surprised by the nod and that it gave a needed push to salsa and to Boricuas.

Here’s the part that matters for fans and programmers: the collision of contemporary pop platforms and legacy salsa catalogs is changing how and where the music is heard, and that will shape memorial moments going forward.

Signals and what may come next

Expect several short-term moves that will confirm how this moment evolves: more formal statements from collaborators, curated reissues or playlist surges centered on El Malo, Siembra and Celia & Willie, and onstage tributes during Latin pop and salsa concerts. Names already referencing Colón in setlists and social posts suggest those signals will arrive quickly.

It’s easy to overlook, but the mix of admiration and disagreement in the public record has long been part of Colón’s relationship with newer artists; that duality will influence how tributes are framed.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up for younger listeners, note that contemporary albums and performances have explicitly borrowed titles and samples tied to Colón, making his catalog a recurring touchpoint in modern Latin pop.

Micro timeline: 1967 — El Malo; 1969 — a namesake album referenced by later artists; 1978 — Siembra with Rubén Blades; 1981 — Celia & Willie; 2007 — El Cantante soundtrack revisiting classics; 2024 — Rauw Alejandro’s Cosa Nuestra nods to Colón’s 1969 record. Recent weeks: Bad Bunny paid tribute on tour in São Paulo following the family confirmation of Colón’s death.

Recent updates indicate that more statements and commemorations may follow; details may evolve.