José Sergio Vega Cuamea (September 12, 1969 – June 26, 2010), better known by his stage name "El Shaka", was a Mexican banda singer. He was born in Ejido Hornos, Sonora, located near Ciudad Obregón in Mexico.
On 26 June 2010, he was killed by gunfire in the Mexican state of Sinaloa after a car chase. The assailants pursued Sergio Vega for a distance, shooting at him and his passenger Montiel Sergio Ávila 30 times. He was killed and Ávila was seriously injured. Vega had recently increased his security because of other celebrity deaths like Sergio Gómez.
Vega, eighth of thirteen children, immigrated to the United States in 1988. In 1989, while living in Phoenix, Arizona, he and his brothers formed a group called Los Hermanos Vega, which signed with Joey Records and had several hits such as "Corazón de Oropel" and "El Rayo de Sinaloa".
In 1994, after five years with the group and following a falling out with his brothers, Vega decided to leave, forming another group called Los Reyos del Norte,and signing with Digital Universal. This group had hits such as "Las Parcelas de Mendoza", "El Dólar Doblado", "El Ayudante", "Olor a Hierba", "Eres mi Estrella", and "Ayúdame a Vivir".
After three years under this name Vega decided, for publicity reasons, to change the name of his group to Sergio Vega y Sus Shakas Del Norte, which it has remained to the present day. Two of his most recent album releases included Me Gusta Estar Contigo (2004),and Cuando El Sol Salga Al Reves (2007) and his latest album El Jefe De Plazas (2008) with hits like "Disculpe Usted" and "Que Se Mueran Los Feos".
On June 26, 2010, Vega was murdered while on his way to perform at a village festival concert in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Gunmen travelling in a truck drove alongside his red Cadillac and opened fire on the vehicle. They then reportedly fired shots at Vega's head and chest from close range.
At the time of his death, rumours had been circulating online that he had already been killed. Just hours before he was shot, Vega was interviewed for an article on entertainment website La Oreja, in which he confirmed he was still alive. "It's happened to me for years now, someone tells a radio station or a newspaper I've been killed, or suffered an accident," Vega told the website. "And then I have to call my dear mom, who has heart trouble, to reassure her," he explained.
Vega was a singer of narcocorridos — ballads that celebrate the lives of drug dealers. Musicians who play this kind of music in Mexico are known to sometimes become the targets of rival gangs. At least seven of these musicians have been killed over the past three years in Mexico.
Discography 2000: Te quiero 2004: Me gusta estar contigo 2004: Serie Top 10 2005: Exitos eternos 2005: Corazón de oropel 2006: Grandes canciones románticas 2006: Necesito dueña 2006: Puros madrazos: Rancheras y corridos 2007: Muchachita de ojos tristes 2007: Dueño de ti 2007: Cuando el sol salga al revés 2009: Quién es usted 2009: Puras Cumbias 2010: Cosas raras (Single) 2010: Rey de la Banda y Norteño 2010: Millonario de amor
