Migos Rapper Takeoff Shot and Killed; Celebrities, Fans Mourn Over Tragedy

Following the shooting death of US rapper Takeoff, 28, of the successful trio Migos, hip-hop artists and fans have paid tribute to him.

The musician, whose real name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, died on Tuesday in Houston. On social media, Ja Rule, Kid Cudi, Khalid, and Dave sent him respects, while Rick Ross referred to him as a "young legend."

Migos Rapper TakeOff Fatal Shooting

One of the most well-known groups of their time, Migos popularized the "Migos flow," a choppy, staccato triplet rapping style. The band, which broke up earlier this year, had a number of global successes, including 'Versace', 'Bad and Boujee', and 'Walk It Talk It'.

On a balcony outside the 810 Billiards and Bowling Alley, where Takeoff was allegedly playing dice with his uncle and bandmate Quavo, the incident occurred at about 02:30 local time (07:30 GMT).

Per BBC, police said that when they arrived, they saw a huge crowd and a man suffering from a head or neck injuries. At the scene, he was pronounced as dead. According to the police, two other persons were hurt and transported to a hospital in private vehicles.

According to the police, a 24-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The shooting allegedly took place as a large group of about 40 people gathered near the front door on the third level of 810 Billiards & Bowling following the conclusion of a private party.

They claimed that once an altercation broke out, at least two firearms were fired, resulting in several individuals running away. No suspects have been detained, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked with any witnesses present to come forward during a press conference.

As young teenagers in the Atlanta suburb of Gwinnett County, on their road to become one of the biggest rap artists of the previous decade, famed for singles like "Versace" and "Bad and Boujee," Migos were first motivated by Takeoff's boyhood love with Southern hip-hop.

Takeoff became a fan favorite of the three despite avoiding fame and keeping a low profile. He is also credited with starting the stuttering, triplet delivery that eventually crept into hip-hop and trickled into mainstream music, New York Times reported. His death was "a heartbreaking loss, particularly for Atlanta," according to Drew Findling, an attorney for Takeoff and close friend of several rap musicians.

Migos, which also includes the rappers Offset and Quavo, began as a family bedroom act northeast of the city, in a neighborhood they later came to name as the 'Nawfside,' before becoming global rap superstars and ushering in a new age of domination for Atlanta music in the streaming era. After discovering that TakeOff had been slain, Isaiah Lopez, 24, claimed to have hurried from his house in Humble.

"He was one of my brother and I's favorites." As Lopez brought a dozen flowers that he intended to leave close to the shooting scene, he stated, "It's all we would listen to. I had to come over here and pay my respects as soon as my brother contacted me and said, 'TakeOff is gone.'"

At a gathering at a Houston bar and restaurant in June, Thomas Moreno, 30, who lives about five minutes from the shooting scene, described TakeOff as "a real nice guy." Per KHOU, Moreno remarked, "I feel it's simply another good man gone too soon. Even while it occurs frequently, it stings more when it involves a young, gifted individual."

The following are some of the social media reactions to the TakeOff's passing:

Who is Migos Rapper TakeOff?

Takeoff, who was born Kirshnik Khari Ball on June 18, 1994, never met his father because he left when he was a little child. His earliest recollections involve his cousin Offset, also known as Kiari Kendrell Cephus, and his uncle Quavo, who was born Quavious Keyate Marshall.

The three members of the rap group grew up together as a family in Lawrenceville, Georgia, before they started working on music as a group, as per Daily Mail. When Takeoff was in elementary school and Quavo, who is three years older than his nephew and a year older than his cousin, was in middle school, the family relocated across Georgia from Athens to Gwinnett.

Following the relocation, the three boys started residing under the roof of Quavo's mother, Latabia Woodward, who used her job as a hairdresser to care for the boys. Takeoff was the one who wanted to start treating rapping seriously beginning in the seventh grade. In 2009, he talked to his uncle about starting the trio that would become Migos.

When Quavo was a junior in high school and the Polo Club had been established, they released their debut mixtape, Juung Season, in 2011. Later, they would adopt the name Migos. Although Takeoff's voice was described as monotonous in interviews, it was described as having alive in the studio booth - a recollection of him that has remained the clearest since his passing on November 1.