Migos Rapper Takeoff Shot Dead in Houston at Age 28

Takeoff, a member of the rap trio Migos alongside rappers Quavo and Offset, has died.

The rapper, real name Kirshnik Khari Ball, was shot in Houston early Tuesday morning, Rolling Stone has confirmed. He was 28. According to TMZ, Ball was shot at a bowling alley around 2:30 am. He was with Quavo — who was unharmed in the shooting — at the time of his death. Two other people on the premises were shot and taken to hospital, Houston Police confirmed.

Takeoff began rapping with Quavo and Offset, his uncle and cousin, respectively, in 2008 under the name Polo Club before eventually changing their moniker to Migos. Together, Migos released their debut mixtape Juug Season in 2011. But the trio shot to notoriety in 2013 with their first mainstream hit, “Versace.” The song was later remixed by Drake, solidifying a years-long relationship between the artists. In 2016, they released another certified hit with their Lil Uzi Vert collaboration, “Bad and Buojee.” With the track, the Migos had solidified their signature rhyme style: short bursts of words in triplet rhythm.

While most of Takeoff’s discovery is with Migos, he released a solo album in 2018 titled The Last Rocket to some success. In more recent months, Takeoff and Quavo had briefly separated from Offset and were producing music as a duo. In October, they released their newest album, Only Built For Infinity Links.

This story is developing… 

From Rolling Stone US.