Migos rapper Takeoff shot dead in a Houston party

Kirshnik Khari Ball, better known as Takeoff of the hip-hop trio Migos, was killed outside a bowling alley in Houston, Texas. The incident took place during the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 1.

Shortly after 2:30 AM Tuesday, law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting at 810 Billiards & Bowling. 40-50 people were attending a private party at the venue. Among them were Takeoff and his uncle and bandmate, Quavo. The two men were playing dice when someone opened fire. 

Nearby security heard the gunshots but did not see who pulled the trigger. When police arrived at the scene, they saw a man with a bullet wound to the head and neck area. The victim was identified as Takeoff, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people were also shot, who were taken to the hospital.

The shooter hasn’t been identified yet, but an investigation is underway, confirmed the police. They are examining a nearby surveillance footage to track who pulled the trigger and what led to it.

The third member of Migos, Offset, who is also Takeoff’s cousin, was not present. The trio heralds from Lawrenceville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Takeoff called music “an escape route from poverty.” As the trio was a family affair, this brought another dimension to Migos.

The group has been heralded as one of the most influential of its generation. Migos had a choppy and staccato style to their music. This pioneering sound was dubbed the “Migos flow.” It propelled the artists to become one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time.

The band’s breakthrough came in 2013 when they released Versace, which turned out to be a massive hit. The song catapulted in popularity when it was remixed by Drake. Takeoff was not included in the acclaimed chart-topper Bad and Boujee but was featured in the “Culture” album trilogy.

“Culture” and “Culture II” claimed the number-one spot on the Billboard charts. In 2018, Migos received an ASCAP Vanguard Award. This celebrated the trio’s successful songs, such as Motorsport, Stir Fry, and Walk It Talk It. In total, the group has approximately 20 gold and platinum singles and albums.

While there has not been any formal news of the group breaking up, the members have worked on separate projects in recent years. Offset, who is married to Cardi B, recorded a solo album that launched in 2019. Takeoff and Quavo have continued to work together. Just last month, they released a duo album titled “Built for Infinity Links.”

Sadly, the youngest member of Migos likely had no idea that he would meet his own infinity so soon.