By Maribelle Gordon
Rapper Takeoff, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was shot and killed early this morning at a private party in Houston, Texas. The youngest member of the popular rap group Migos was present during an altercation regarding a dice game when he was shot in or near the head. The 28-year-old artist was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was reported around 2:40 a.m. at bowling alley and pool hall 810 Bowling & Billiards in Downtown Houston. Just before 3 a.m., medics on the scene announced that a victim, later identified as Takeoff, had passed away.
There were reportedly two other individuals that were shot, but their identities have not been released by police and their conditions are unknown. It is also unknown if anyone has been taken into custody, but there are reports that the gunshots came from someone affiliated with the rap group and that it was an accidental stray bullet that hit Takeoff. Sources at the scene say that Takeoff had no involvement in the altercation.
Quavo, another member of the Atlanta-based rap trio, was also at the private party when the incident took place. It has been reported that Quavo was involved in the altercation that resulted in the death of Takeoff. Quavo was not only Takeoff’s musical partner but also his uncle.
Migos has been on hiatus for several years now after its members decided to release solo projects and gauge their individual success in the music industry. Takeoff’s 2018 album, “The Last Rocket”, received high praise in its reviews despite its lesser mainstream success compared to the other members’ solo albums.
Quavo and Takeoff had also just released a joint project early last month, entitled “Only Built for Infinity Links” for which they released a music video just yesterday. The album was well-received commercially, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 charts.
Gun violence targeted towards and within the rap community is not a new issue, but definitely one that has made an overwhelming and unprecedented resurgence since the contentious rap scene of the 1990s. Since 2015, “27 established rappers have been murdered”, 25 of which were gun-related incidents.
There has been an outpouring of grief and devastation from celebrities and fans alike on social media for this untimely and shocking death that reflects the troublesome trend of dying rappers. Takeoff was known to be a very quiet figure in the music industry, rarely involved in controversy and maintaining a subdued public image despite being so successful.
Fans and colleagues of Takeoff are also recognizing the massive impact that Migos had on the rap industry throughout the 2010s. They’re credited with popularizing a rap style of staccato triplets, or using three syllables over one beat, which is dubbed by many as the “Migos flow”. The group also has 43 songs that charted in Billboard’s Hot 100, platinum and double platinum albums, 2 Grammy nominations, and several other extraordinary accomplishments.
Takeoff is ultimately the reason for the formation and eventual mega success of Migos. It was Takeoff’s passion for Southern rap that spurred the group to start making music in the first place and he encouraged Quavo to start looking at rap as a serious endeavor.
Takeoff has been praised by fans, as well as by Quavo himself, as being the trio’s most underrated and invaluable contributor. His modest presence sometimes caused him to fall in the shadows of his musical partners, but his massive contribution to rap music is undeniable and will prove to be long-lasting.
