Bad Bunny has led tributes to salsa icon Willie Colón, who died at 75 over the weekend.
The trombonist’s family announced the news in a statement shared on his official Facebook page on Saturday (21.02.26), writing: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and renowned musician, Willie Colón. He passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his beloved family.”
They added that while they are mourning his loss, they are also celebrating “the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories he created that will live on forever.” A cause of death was not disclosed.
With a career spanning more than five decades and over 30 million records sold, Willie – who was born in the South Bronx in New York City to Puerto Rican parents -became one of the most influential figures in salsa history. His innovative sound blended traditional Latin rhythms with elements of jazz, rock, and Afro-Caribbean music, helping to shape the genre’s evolution and global reach.
His longtime manager, Pietro Carlos, reflected on Willie’s cultural impact in his own tribute, writing that the musician didn’t “just change salsa” but “expanded it, politicized it, clothed it in urban chronicles and took it to stages where it hadn’t been before. His trombone was the voice of the people.”
During his concert in São Paulo on Saturday night, Bad Bunny paused his show to acknowledge Willie’s passing, telling the audience: “This music is very special. It’s the influence of all of us who grew up listening to salsa in the Caribbean. Today, one of the great legends who contributed to this beautiful genre passed away.”
The 31-year-old star then performed NUEVAYoL from his Debí Tirar Más Fotos tour setlist — a track that directly references Willie with the lyric: “Willie Colón, me dicen el malo, ey. Porque pasan los años y sigo dando palo.”
The line translates to: “Willie Colón, they say I’m bad, because the years come and I’m still hitting.”
Bad Bunny closed his tribute by sending love to Willie’s family, adding that the legacy of artists like him will endure “as long as there are talented young people… keeping the music, salsa and all Caribbean rhythms alive.”
Even though the two didn’t share the same political views, Willie never dismissed the impact Bad Bunny has had on salsa and on the people of Puerto Rico.
Speaking in a social media clip before his death, he said about NUEVAYoL: “When I heard it, I was really surprised. The push it gave to salsa and to Boricuas, it’s something we all needed.”
