Willie Colon dies at 75; Bad Bunny pauses São Paulo show to pay tribute
willie colon, described in headlines as the architect of urban salsa, died in the morning of Feb. 21, 2026 in New York at the age of 75 from respiratory complications, and the news prompted Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny to pause his second concert on Saturday at Allianz Parque in São Paulo to honor the musician’s legacy.
Updated Feb. 22, 2026 — 4: 10 p. m.
Bad Bunny stopped the show to honor a salsa legend
At his second concert in the São Paulo stadium, Bad Bunny took a moment before performances with his backing group Los Sobrinos to speak directly about Willie Colón’s influence on Caribbean music. The singer offered condolences and a message of support for Colón’s family, saying that the inspiration left by great musicians will live on while talented young artists keep the music and salsa alive.
How Bad Bunny referenced Colón in his work
The connection between Benito Martínez Ocasio and Willie Colón was also woven into Bad Bunny’s recorded work: the singer name-checks Colón on the album titled "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" in the song "Nueva Yol. " In the track, Bad Bunny references Colón with lines that translate as, roughly, "Willie Colón, they call me the bad one... because years pass and I keep delivering blows. " Bad Bunny also included Colón in the video for "Nueva Yol. "
Past disagreements and later praise
The relationship between Bad Bunny and Willie Colón was not always cordial. In recent years, Colón publicly criticized Bad Bunny on the social network X, questioning the accuracy of streaming numbers on Spotify when Bad Bunny once again became the most-listened-to artist in 2025. Colón had been vocal and controversial on X when exposing his ideas.
Despite earlier criticism, Colón himself publicly acknowledged Bad Bunny’s role in pushing salsa forward. Colón said that the energy Bad Bunny brought to salsa and the more Puerto Rican, more Latin stance he took were moves the genre needed, calling it an excellent push.
Willie Colon’s death and the immediate reaction
The musician died in the morning of Feb. 21, 2026 in New York from respiratory complications at age 75. Bad Bunny’s tribute at Allianz Parque underscored how Colón’s death resonated across artists who carry the salsa clave worldwide.
What comes next
Unclear in the provided context.
