Takeoff, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated rap group Migos has passed away, reports TMZ. He was 28.
According to the report, Takeoff was fatally shot at a bowling alley in Houston where he and Quavo were playing dice around 2.30 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Quavo was unharmed but two other people were also shot on the scene and taken to a local hospital.
Born Kirshnik Khari Ball in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in 1994, Takeoff began rapping with his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset under the collective name Polo Club. In 2011, the group released Juug Season, their debut mixtape as the Migos.
The tune “Versace” from their mixtape Y.R.N, became the group’s first mainstream hit in 2011; it was eventually remixed by Drake. The Migos and Drake would enjoy a long-running relationship with each other.
Earning mainstream success, the Migos released a number of top-10 songs including “Bad and Boujee” with Lil Uzi Vert, which peaked at No. 1 in the U.S.; “MotorSport” with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B; “Fight Night”; “Stir Fry”; and “Walk It Talk It” with Drake.
The trio would release several acclaimed albums such as Culture, Culture II, and their fourth album, Culture III. Migos would go on to become one of the most commercially successful and influential hip-hop acts of all time.
.As a solo artist, Takeoff released an album in 2018, The Last Rocket, which debuted at No 4 in the U.S.
His final project, Only Built for Infinity Links with Quavo, was released last month.
Although he was the quiet one of the group, Takeoff was instrumental in pushing the Migos to pursue careers in music.
“Growing up, I was trying to make it in music. I was grinding, which is just what I loved doing,” Takeoff told The Fader in 2017. “Just making something and creating for me … I was getting my own pleasure out of it because it’s what I liked doing. I’d wait for Quavo to get back from football practice and I’d play my songs for him.”
We at EBONY extend our prayers and send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Takeoff.
