Migos Rapper Takeoff Dead at 28

Takeoff, one of the three members of Migos, is dead after an early morning shooting in Houston, TMZ Hip Hop confirmed Tuesday. Takeoff, whose real name was Kirsnik Khari Ball, was reportedly shot and killed when an altercation broke out while he was at a bowling alley with fellow Migos member Quavo. The “Walk It Talk It” rapper was 28 years old. A representative for the rapper confirmed to the Associated Press that Takeoff had died.

Witnesses and law enforcement sources told TMZ that the fatal incident happened shortly after 2:30 a.m. when police got a call for a man shot at 810 Billiards & Bowling Houston. Takeoff and Quavo were reportedly playing dice when an altercation broke out and someone opened fire, striking and killing the youngest Migos member. He was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people were shot, police continued, and taken to the hospital in private vehicles. Quavo was not injured. 

Police later confirmed Takeoff’s identity as the person who died. Officers told KPRC Houston that a crowd of 40 or 50 people was at the scene when the shooting took place and that there was a man with a gunshot wound to the head or neck.

TMZ published footage from the scene that the publication says shows Quavo and others gathered around Takeoff after he had been shot. The group initially tries to move Takeoff, but then puts him back down as Quavo shouts for someone to get help. Just hours before the shooting, Takeoff shared a photo of himself at the bowling alley, while Quavo had previously posted a video earlier in the night while driving around Houston with Young Empire Music Group CEO Jas Prince, who was celebrating his birthday. 

Migos, which is comprised of Takeoff, his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset, came together as a group in 2008 in Georgia before taking off with their first major hit “Versace” in 2013. They would go on to reprise that success in 2016 with “Bad and Boujee.” Most recently, Quavo and Takeoff had released as a duo Unc & Phew, dropping their latest music video for “Messy” on Monday. Neither Quavo nor Offset have commented publicly on Tuesday’s devastating news.