Takeoff, a Migos rapper, was tragically murdered in Houston.
Takeoff, a Migos rapper, was tragically murdered in Houston.
(Richard Shotwell / Richard Shotwell/invision/ap)
Rapper Takeoff, one-third of the trio Migos, was slain in a gunshot early Tuesday following a private party in Houston, according to a police department press conference.
According to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, officers were summoned to 810 Billiards and Bowling in downtown Houston at 2:34 a.m. for a gunshot in progress. Takeoff, 28, whose true name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was confirmed dead at the scene, according to Sgt. Michael Arrington, a murder investigator. Two additional persons drove themselves to the hospital and were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Finner would not corroborate allegations that fellow Migos member Quavo was among the estimated 40-plus persons at the party, but he did say that several witnesses fled the scene, "perhaps out of terror." The suspect was not identified or characterized. Finner and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner both released statements urging anybody with information on the event to come forward.
"Too many young men of color are being hurt or murdered, and their future is cut short, leaving family members and friends to mourn," Turner added. "This does not have to be our reality, and it certainly does not have to be our future."
According to Finner, two gunshot casings were located at the location, and there was no evidence Takeoff was "engaged in anything unlawful at the time." Finner further mentioned that the "well-respected" rapper has been hailed as "a very serene, loving, excellent performer" by many people.
Takeoff participated in Migos alongside his uncle Quavo, 31, and Quavo's cousin Offset, 30.
The three Atlanta rappers rose to prominence in 2013 with their debut single "Versace," which Washington Post reviewer Chris Richards dubbed "the true song of summer" at the time (despite the charts suggesting otherwise). Other renowned rappers, such as Drake, Meek Mill, and Soulja Boy, capitalized on "Versace's" simple catchiness, recording their own versions of the song. "Some type of playground," Richards characterized it.
"It becomes clear after hearing these people speak the name of the Italian fashion brand 158 times in 3 minutes 7 seconds," he said, "that this three-syllable word — with its enticing blend of fricative consonants — is unexpectedly pleasurable to say out loud, over and over and over."
Following the release of their first album, "Yung Rich Nation," in 2015, Migos saw a boom in popularity with the 2016 hit "Bad and Boujee," which featured Lil Uzi Vert and earned them a Grammy nomination. While winning a Golden Globe for his series "Atlanta," Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, praised Migos "not for being in the show, but for releasing 'Bad and Boujee' - that's the finest song ever."
Takeoff has been deemed to as the group's strongest rapper by Quavo. In a July GQ interview, Quavo recalled how he and Takeoff first started producing music together as youngsters. They recorded their verses using Windows Movie Maker, a crude technology that, according to Quavo, meant that "if you messed up, you had to start again." According to the magazine, Takeoff got his moniker after it became evident that he could "simply launch into his rhymes and record everything in a single, immaculate take."
Though unsubstantiated, reports that Migos had split up surfaced earlier this year. Quavo and Takeoff released their first album as a duet last month, "Only Built for Infinity Links," on which Offset does not appear.
In an interview with Complex in October, Quavo credited some of Migos' success to familial bonds: "With us, it was truly family that kept us going," he stated. Takeoff went on to say that it can be difficult to "go find two individuals that's family, too, like Unc and Phew," referring to the nicknames he and Quavo gained with the release of their new album.
Quavo lauded Takeoff's lyrical skills once more in an interview with Complex.
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