La Lupe, born Lupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, captivated audiences with her dynamic voice and fearless approach to music. The “Queen of Latin Soul” rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, leaving an indelible mark on the Latin music scene. However, her life was not without challenges, and her untimely death marked the conclusion of a remarkable musical journey.
Who was La Lupe?
Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, born on December 23, 1939, well known as La Lupe, was a Cuban singer of boleros, guarachas, and Latin soul. She was known for her exuberant and occasionally contentious concerts.
Following the publication of her debut album in 1961, La Lupe relocated from Havana to New York and signed with Tico Records, launching a prolific and lucrative career in the 1960s and 1970s. She retired in the 1980s for religious reasons.
How did La Lupe Die?
La Lupe died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 52. He is buried in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx. She was a dedicated Santería believer and continued to practice her religion. Her record label, Fania Records (which had previously bought Tico), terminated her contract in the late 1970s, preferring to push Celia Cruz's career.
La Lupe retired in 1980 and became bankrupt by the early 1980s. In 1984, she hurt her spine while attempting to hang a curtain in her home; she initially used a wheelchair and later a cane.
Her home was destroyed by a fire caused by electricity. La Lupe converted to Christianity after receiving healing at an evangelical crusade, abandoning her Santería origins. In 1991, she performed Christian music in a concert at La Sinagoga in New York.
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Her career opportunities in New York City dried up in the mid-1970s, so she relocated to Puerto Rico, where she performed in concerts and on television. She returned to New York, but her career had diminished, and her second husband's medical bills had exhausted her resources.