Biography for
La Lupe More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

23 December 1940, Santiago, Cuba

Date of Death

29 February 1992, The Bronx, New York, USA (heart attack)

Birth Name

Guadalupe Victoria Yoli Raymond

Nickname

La Reina de la Canción Latina
La YiYi

Mini Biography

Well known for her high level of camp and her energetic performances, La Lupe was one of the Spanish-language world's greatest performance. Born in Cuba to a poor family, La Lupe began her life as a schoolteacher in Havana at her father's request. However music was in her blood, and against his wishes she entered a singing competition on the radio where she won first place. Later she joined the singing group "Trio Los Tropicales" and made many successful club debuts throughout Havana. Her performances, which included Rock 'N' Roll songs in Spanish combined with heavy antics made her a smash in the Cuban music scene and she continued to make hit albums. However, after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, La Lupe felt that she could no longer live in a country that did not accept her performances, which were classified as anti-revolutionary. She left Cuba for Mexico in 1962, where she sought acceptance, but was never accepted. Later she moved to New York, where she met fellow Cuban musician Mongo Santamaría. Both teamed up with to make the album make "Mongo Introduces La Lupe" in 1963. That album made her a star and later she joined up with the legendary Tito Puente to make four successful albums. Voted the best singer by the Latin press in 1965 & 1966, La Lupe went on to become one of the top two divas of salsa music (the other was Celia Cruz). It was during these years thats he produced some of her greatest songs, especially those written by Puerto Rican composer C. Curet Alonso, such as "La Gran Tirana" and "Puro Teatro". In the 1970's La Lupe saw her career decline somewhat. First she was banned from television from Puerto Rico after she tore her clothes off during an awards ceremony on national television. Next, her record label, Tico Records, was purchased by Fania Records, and company executives decided to focus their energies on the less controversial Celia Cruz. Although she had several hits during that decade, she faded into obscurity. In the 1980's, La Lupe, who retired from the industry, saw herself destitute. Her husband's medical bills, her large donations to the African-based religion of "Santeria", and her personal problems often left her and her family homeless. She became paralyzed following a domestic accident and was healed by an evangelical preacher. After this, she converted to evangelicalism and recorded Christian orientated material in the late 80s. She continued her devotion to evangelism until her death in 1992. La Lupe never saw the surge in her popularity after her death, especially after the legendary Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar chose her song, "Puro Teatro," to be the closing song of his hit film, "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown". Fania re-released her records on their Tico labels during that decade, and many of her records went platinum throughout Spain and Latin America. Considered to be a combination of Bette Midler meets Judy Garland with a dash of Eartha Kitt, La Lupe's largest fan base is primarily the gay Latin community. Many drag performers imitate her and she is considered to be the Judy Garland of the Spanish-language world due her torrid love affairs, heavy drug use, poor financial management and her bout with bipolar-ism. She is considered one of the greatest musical divas the world has ever known.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Luis32789@aol.com

Spouse

Eulogio Reyes	(1958 - 1960) (divorced) 1 child
William Garcia	(? - 29 February 1992) (her death) 1 child

Trivia

Buried in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. Her grave is located in the St. Matthew section, Range #7, Grave #88.

Her father, Tito Yoli, was an employee for the Bacardi corporation in Santiago, Cuba.

Her former husband, Eulogio Reyes, was the band leader for the "Tropicubas," the first band La Lupe joined as a vocalist. They had a son during their brief marriage, which ended when he left her for another woman.

Before her downfall, La Lupe lived with her husband and children in a luxurious mansion in Englewood, New Jersey. After she was dropped by label Tico Records, she found herself broke.

Her grave at St. Raymond's Cemetery is that cemetery's most visited gravesite. Fans have erected their own personal memorials.

After seeing one of her live performances, it is reported that Pablo Picasso declared her a musical genius.

Has a daughter from her marriage with William Garcia, and a son from a previous marriage in Cuba.

Is a graduate of the University of Havana where she earned a teaching certificate.

The intersection of East 140th Street and St. Ann's Avenue in the Bronx (where La Lupe lived her final days) was renamed in her honor.

When she died, Lupe's children decided to leave her grave at St. Raymond's cemetery in the Bronx, New York unmarked for fear that fans would desecrate her grave in the same manner Jim Morrison's grave at Pere La Chaise Cemetary in Paris, France has suffered. A loyal fan started a drive to collect money and after requesting donations from many famous Salsa musicians (many who declined to donate), legendary Puerto Rican actress Miriam Colon gave a sizable donation that finally purchased a tombstone for La Lupe.

Had a daughter, Rainbow Garcia, and a son, Rene Camaro.

A musical based on her life titled "La Lupe: Mi Vida, Mi Destino" premiered in New York City on June 27, 2001.

Cast in the role of "Julia" opposite Raul Julia, Clifton Davis and'Jonelle Allen' in the John Guare-Galt MacDermot musical production "Two Gentlemen of Verona" in 1971, she was replaced before the show's opening by actress Diana Davila.

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