Celia Cruz to Become First Afro-Latina Depicted on U.S. Quarter

The late Celia Cruz is still making money moves…

The face of the legendary Cuban singer will be depicted on a U.S. quarter, according to the United States Mint.

Celia CruzWidely known as the Queen of Salsa, Cruz was chosen along with four other exemplary women from history to be featured on the U.S. quarter as part of the American Women Quarters Program in 2024. She’ll also make history as the first Afro-Latina to appear on the coin.

Cruz, who is considered one of the most influential Latin singers of all time and a cultural icon, is remembered for her lively expression of “¡Azúcar!,” and for her highly influential body of work consisting of 37 albums.

The other honorees include Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first women of color to serve in the U.S. Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, women’s rights advocate and Civil War era surgeon; poet, activist, and lawyer Pauli Murray; and Native American writer, composer, educator Zitkala-Ša.

The four-year program “celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States,” states the official website.

From joining La Sonora Matancera in the early ’50s up until her death in 2003 due to cancer, Cruz was unquestionably one of the most exuberant performers of Latin music. Her larger-than-life onstage presence coupled with her captivating charisma made her a legend in Latin America and beyond.

In the 1970s, she became a leading force in salsa music and joined Fania All Stars alongside Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colón, Tito Puente and other icons of the genre, a cultural phenomenon that took place in New York City and beyond.

She later explored other tropical genres such as merengue and reggaetón. Some of her most memorable hits in history include “La Vida Es Un Carnaval,” “La Negra Tiene Tumbao,” and “Químbara” also featuring Johnny Pacheco.

She never lip-synched, and when asked to do it for TV performances, she refused. Cruz was also incredibly influential for many of today’s Latin stars. Her last 2003 album, Regalo del Alma, remained at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart for three weeks.

“I’ve never thought of retiring. I’m healthy, I’m rolling, I’m rolling. I remember Celia Cruz,” reggaetón pioneer Ivy Queen previously told Billboard, who has long idolized and emulated Cruz. “Her last Premios Lo Nuestro performance, she had cancer. She walked from her chair to the stage, she sang, and … she sang. That’s what I’m doing. F–k it. She did it, I’m gonna do it.”

Although Cruz died two decades ago, her legacy continues to appear in various corners of pop culture.

Last year, the estate of the salsa legend partnered with Archetype-IO to release her first NFT collection, which debuted in Art Basel 2022. In 2016, an 80-part series about her life became available for streaming on Netflix, titled Celia, by Telemundo.

For each year commencing in 2022 and running through 2025, the U.S. mint will issue five new reverse designs, and the obverse of the coin will still feature George Washington, but with a slightly different design from the previous quarter program.

This year celebrates Bessie Colemen, Edith Kanaka’ole, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idar and Maria Tallchief.

Rivera’s Sales Increase by 1,014% on Billboard’s Latin Albums Chart

La Diva de la Banda may have had her celestial graduation this week, but Jenni Rivera‘s presence is still being felt on Billboard’s music charts this week.

With the most recent Nielsen SoundScan tracking week ending on Sunday, December 16, the new Billboard charts reflect the first full week since her passing in a plane crash on Sunday, December 9.

Jenni Rivera

On the Top Latin Albums chart, the late Mexican American banda singer holds the first three spots, with her new hits compilation La Misma Gran Señora debuting at No. 1 with 27,000 — the best sales week of the year for any Latin album. It surpasses the 23,000 racked by the bow of Prince Royce‘s Phase II in April. It’s also Rivera’s best sales frame for an album, beating the 16,000 racked up by Jenni in its debut week in 2008.

At Nos. 2 and 3 on the Latin Albums chart this week, Rivera’s two 2011 releases Joyas Prestadas: Pop and Joyas Prestadas: Banda sell 14,000 (up 532%) and 13,000 (up 578%), respectively. The albums were Nos. 2 and 4 last week.

La Misma Gran Señora is Rivera’s second No. 1 on the Latin Albums chart, following Jenni.

Rivera is only the third act to control the entire top three on the Latin Albums chart since it became a weekly, SoundScan-driven tally in 1993. She joins two other leading ladies, who also achieved the feat only in death: Celia Cruz and Selena. The last time it happened was on the Latin Albums chart dated August  23, 2003, when Cruz’s Regalo Del Alma, Exitos Eternos and Hits Mix were Nos. 1-3, respectively, following her death on July 16. Cruz controlled the top three in two separate weeks, while Selena did it in five frames in April and May of 1995.

On the Billboard 200 this week, La Misma Gran Señora bows at No. 38 — Rivera’s second-highest charting set. Only Jenni went higher, when it launched at No. 31.

Rivera’s overall catalog of albums sold 64,000 last week — up 1,014% from 6,000 the week previous.