The hip-hop world has lost another bright star. Takeoff, best known for being one-third of the rap trio Migos, has sadly died. The performer reportedly passed away Tuesday morning after being shot at a bowling alley. The young man was accompanied by his uncle and bandmate, Quavo, while at the establishment. The music fan-favorite was only 28 at the time of his passing.
Takeoff’s death was confirmed to Variety by the Houston Police Department, which said that the rapper, whose birth name is Kirsnik Khari Ball, was playing dice with Quavo around 2:30 a.m at 810 Billiards & Bowling Houston. Eventually, shots were fired and, per the HPD, there was a crowd of about 40 to 50 people present when an individual received gunshot wounds to their head and neck. Ball was pronounced dead on the scene.
Quavo, whose name is Quavious Keyate Marshall, was reportedly not harmed amid the situation. The trade reports, however, that two other people did sustain gunshot wounds and were transported to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown at this time.
As mentioned by TMZ, earlier in the evening, Takeoff posted a selfie from the bowling alley. His uncle, meanwhile, shared a video of himself hanging out with music producer Jas Prince. The Young Empire Music Group CEO was apparently celebrating his birthday last night.
Kirshnik Khari Ball was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia on June 18, 1994 and was raised there as well alongside his aforementioned uncle and his cousin once removed and other bandmate, Offset (who's currently married to Cardi B). Having shown a knack for developing beats at a young age, Ball eventually joined his family members when they formed Migos in 2008. While the performers released their first mixtape in 2011, they wouldn’t find mainstream success until they released their hit single “Versace” in 2013.
As a member of the group, Takeoff had been nominated for a number of honors, including two Grammy Awards. The rappers have also collaborated with notable artists such as Young Thug and Chris Brown. They also teamed up with the eccentric Lil Uzi Vert for “Bad and Boujee” in 2016, and the track ended up becoming the musical act’s first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Migos has had a profound impact on pop culture in just a short amount of time. The rap stars have made several notable media appearances, including a performance on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke and guest spots on the first season of Donald Glover’s Atlanta.
Takeoff and his bandmates have been incredibly conscious of their music and how it’ll be viewed by future generations. Both he and Quavo appeared on Drink Champs just last week and, when asked about his desire to shine on his newer music, the late rapper said:
Enough is enough. You know, I’m chill, I’m laid back. But it’s time to pop it. It’s time to give me my flowers, I don’t want them laid down when I’m not here.
Thankfully, quite a few people did indeed give the star his flowers while he was still with us, and many more are doing so after his death. While wasn’t with us long, his artistry is sure to live on for years to come.
We here at CinemaBlend extended our condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Takeoff during this difficult time.
