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Overview
- The family announced his death on February 21, noting he passed away surrounded by loved ones and did not disclose a cause.
- Bad Bunny paused a São Paulo show to honor Colón within hours of the news, offering condolences and calling him a great legend.
- The Latin Grammy organization lauded his impact on making salsa a global phenomenon, and he received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
- Colón signed with Fania Records as a teenager and debuted with El Malo in 1967, later shaping salsa’s golden era through collaborations with Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz and Rubén Blades.
- Across more than 40 albums, he earned nine Gold and five Platinum certifications with roughly eight million sales, while advocating through groups such as the Latino Commission on AIDS and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.