Migos rapper Takeoff fatally shot in Houston, his representative tells AP
Takeoff, the third member of Migos alongside rappers Quavo and Offset, has died. The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was fatally shot at a Houston bowling alley where he and Quavo were playing dice around 2:30 a.m.; Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two other people on the premises were shot and taken to the hospital, while Quavo was unharmed. TMZ first reported the news, which was later confirmed by a local outlet in Houston, this morning. Friends and admirers paid tribute to the late rapper on Twitter. “I remember Takeoff being a very down-to-earth, cool dude,” boxer Chris Eubank Jr. wrote.
“I can’t believe I have to say this again about another young black star being killed for no reason, something really needs to change. in the industry.” “Rest in peace Takeoff, just talked to him too,” wrote Twitch streamer Adin Ross. “I’m in shock right now I can’t believe it. I’m praying to god it’s fake. This shit just isn’t fair bro wtf.” Takeoff was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia in 1994.
He started rapping with Quavo and Offset, his uncle and cousin, in 2008 under the collective name Polo Club. In 2011, the trio unleashed Juug Season, their debut mixtape as Migos. “Growing up, I tried to make it in music. I was grinding, which is exactly what I liked to do,” Takeoff told The Fader in 2017. “He was just creating and creating for me… I got my own pleasure out of it because that’s what I liked to do. I’d wait for Quavo to come home from football practice and play him my songs.”
In 2013, Migos released Versace, their first mainstream hit. The song was notable for popularizing triplet flow – Migos’ signature rapid-fire cadence – within modern rap and was eventually remixed by Toronto rapper Drake, who has had a long-term relationship with all three members of the group.
Migos are best known for Lil Uzi Vert’s 2016 collaboration Bad and Boujee, which reached No. 1 in the US, as well as the Top 10 hits MotorSport with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B and Walk It Talk It with Drake. As a solo artist, Takeoff has released one album — 2018’s The Last Rocket, which debuted at No. 4 in the US — and one record as a duo, last month’s Only Built for Infinity Links, with Quavo.
