Matthew Urango, the Oxnard, CA singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who released music as Cola Boyy, has died at the age of 34. “The one and only Cola Boyy a.k.a Matthew Urango passed peacefully last Sunday,” the artist’s label, Record Makers, wrote in a statement. “He was quite a soul, a man with no age, a childlike spirit with the musicality of an old legend. His lyrics, his melodies, the sound of his voice: every side of his music was unique and timeless.”
Urango, was born with spina bifida, scoliosis, and kyphosis, played bass for the band Sea Lions before he started releasing his own music in 2018. That year, he put out his debut EP, Black Boogie Neon, which featured the singles ‘Penny Girl’ and ‘Buggy Tip’. In 2020, he made a guest appearance alongside the Clash’s Mick Jones on the Avalanches’ ‘We Go On’ from We Will Always Love You. Cola Boyy’s debut LP Prosthetic Boombox came out in 2021, boasting collaborations with the Avalanches, MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden, Godin, John Carroll Kirby, and more. As a disability-rights activist and advocate for people of color, he worked with groups including Todo Poder Al Pueblo and APOC (Anarchist People Of Color).
“Anyone who knew Matthew knows he had a larger than life personality,” Cola Boyy’s manager, Jack Sills, said on Instagram. “He was always the life of the party and could chop it up with anyone. He was also one of the most talented and down to earth people I’ve ever met. His humor and natural charisma endeared him to whoever he met. Matthew cared enormously for his family, friends and community which he often expressed through his music. He had just finished his next album and was excited to start releasing new music this summer. I will continue to work with his family and @recordmakers to make sure this happens. Love you homie. Cola Boyy Forever!”
