Thousands of people took to the streets of Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, to say goodbye to musician Rubén Rada, who died last Wednesday, August 26, at the age of 83.
The images, which went viral on social media, show the city's avenues packed with people celebrating the life and work of the singer, percussionist, and composer, who cultivated Afro-Uruguayan culture by fusing rhythms such as candombe, jazz, and rock. The celebrations included dancing and performances of the artist's songs, accompanied by drum ensembles.
With more than six decades on stage, the musician known as Negro Rada was the author of a prolific discography that exceeds thirty albums and recognized songs such as 'Mi país', 'Las manzanas' or 'Muriendo de plena', according to the EFE agency.
Figures such as Jorge Drexler, deeply influenced by Rada's music, mourned the loss, while Faustina "Aunt Tina" Avelino, an emblematic "old mama" of Uruguayan candombe, made headlines for paying tribute to the deceased by dancing in front of the icon's coffin during his wake at the Legislative Palace.
The government of that country declared official mourning for the physical departure of the artist, who in 2001 received a Grammy for Musical Excellence.
