More than 20,000 fans gathered on Friday to celebrate the life of rapper Kirsnick Khari Ball, professionally known as Takeoff. The artist, famous for his contributions to the popular group Migos, was shot and killed outside of a Houston bowling alley on November 1 at the age of 28.
“I was really sad to hear the news,” said Reverend Jesse Curney III of New Mercies Christian Church, who officiated the service and gave the eulogy, said in a statement to TMZ. “Kirsnick has been a faithful member since he was ten years old. He and his family were active and avid supporters of the church and the community as a whole.”
There is little public information about the details of what led up to Takeoff’s death, but Houston Police have said two shooters opened fire at a private event, injuring two other people. Authorities continue to investigate the case, but no arrests have been made.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said Takeoff was “well respected” and there was “no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time.” This widespread respect for the rapper is what makes his death so shattering for fans, especially Atlantans.
“Takeoff was one of the most influential names in modern music whose creativity left a profound impact on music and culture as we know it today,” read a news release from Quality Control Music and Motown Records. Instead of flowers or gifts, his family has asked that donations be made to The Rocket Foundation, which was established in honor of Takeoff’s death and supports community-based programs devoted to preventing gun violence.
Takeoff was one-third of the Grammy-nominated group Migos along with his uncle, Quavo, and brother, Offset. The trio hailed from Lawrenceville, a suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. “Gwinnett” gets many name drops in their songs, exemplifying the group’s pride in their roots. Their success thus proves the professionalism of the Atlanta rap scene, a sphere that was not always respected within the broader hip-hop landscape.
Author Joe Coscarelli reflects on the progression of the Atlanta entertainment ecosystem from its rocky start to its earned spot in the limelight in his book “Rap Capital: an Atlanta Story.” He laments that rappers from the South have been discounted as artists, writing that they have been called “ignorant and inaccessible, overly simplistic or vulgar or simply too country, in line with broader prejudices against people – and especially Black people – from below the Mason-Dixon Line.”
“Artists from Atlanta and across its neighboring states have continued to innovate, lyrically and sonically, breathing new life into the genre – often using those derided Auto-Tuned melodies, South-specific language and, yes, dances, even as ‘mumble rap’ became a twenty-first-century pejorative for a new, outré style of Atlanta hip-hop,” he continued.
Takeoff’s death hangs so heavily on the hearts of Atlanta fans because he was the glue of a group that brought national attention to the musical ingenuity of a region that was previously deemed technically inept.
Maurice Hobson, assistant professor of Africana studies at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta, emphasized how the group manifested the city as a historical landmark of Black popular culture.
“Migos’ rise is a continuation of the soul and funk sound that comes out of the ‘70s, that moves from disco to soul and funk and then the rise of what kind of comes out of the late ‘80s and early 90′s that establishes the rise of the Dirty South that really promotes Outkast, Goodie Mob, Organized Noize, The Dungeon Family,” Hobson said. “Then you go into snap and trap. Migos represents it as this kind of new vignette of Atlanta Black popular culture.”
This rise can be largely attributed to Takeoff’s technical prowess.
In an interview with The Guardian, DJ Ray G reflected on how Takeoff was known for being “the quiet one” who focused more on perfecting his craft than relishing in attention. On nights when Quavo and Offset were out at nightclubs promoting their music and networking, they would come home to find Takeoff learning music production from the greatest names in rap, like Tupac and Biggie, on YouTube.
“This kid’s 16, studying his craft – like, ‘I ain’t going out with you tonight. I’m going to stay here and listen to Big, Pac, Eminem,” he said.
The trio’s public debut occurred in 2013 when their single “Versace” went viral for its sticky beat. Their recognition has been steady ever since for their iconic contributions such as “Fight Night” and their trilogy of albums “Culture,” “Culture II” and “Culture III.” After featuring the group in the third episode of his hit show “Atlanta,” the multi-hyphenate creative Donald Glover gave the group’s single “Bad and Boujee” a shoutout during his Golden Globes acceptance speech.
“I think they’re the Beatles of this generation,” he said backstage. “They don’t get a lot of respect outside of Atlanta.”
Almost eight years later, that could not be less true. The rap trio known for their punchy flow and iconic ad-libs has taken the hip-hop world by storm.
Takeoff’s music will live on forever 🖤 pic.twitter.com/bPayQvGE8e
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) November 2, 2022
“Migos literally shaped and changed the sound of hip-hop music,” said Lore’l, host of the nationally syndicated radio program ‘The Morning Hustle’ on Atlanta’s Hot 107.9, in an interview with 11 Alive.
“They are Atlanta, they represent Atlanta,” Lore’l said. “They’ve helped schools, they’ve helped kids. They’ve done so many things that were positive. They’ve helped other artists, other aspiring artists in the city, from the city of Atlanta. And they’ve definitely made their mark in Atlanta and made sure they always given back. And Takeoff was always a big part of that, and they never left where they came from.”
Takeoff’s death has sparked immense grief even beyond the limits of hip-hop circles.
Stacey Abrams expressed what a loss this tragedy was for the state of Georgia. “This is heartbreaking news and a tragic loss to GA and the music industry. Born and raised in Gwinnett County, Kirshnik Khari Ball influenced Hip-Hop and our Culture beyond measure,” tweeted the author and gubernatorial candidate. “My condolences are with Takeoff’s family, friends and all those who were inspired by his talent.”
Activist and founder of Campaign Zero Brittney Packnett Cunningham tweeted, “RIP Takeoff. So undoubtedly influential in rap’s new school. But more importantly, a whole human being who deserved far more life and not this reckless, vile act. My goodness.”
The Atlanta Hawks emphasized the loss of such a central figure of the city who was often spotted courtside at games alongside Quavo and Offset.
“We are heartbroken over the passing of Takeoff, a passionate Hawks fan and pillar of Atlanta culture,” tweeted the franchise that calls Atlanta’s State Farm Arena home.
Journalist Jemelle Hill reflected on major losses in hip-hop that struck her in her youth. “I was in college when Biggie and ‘Pac were killed and thought there was no way we’d ever experience anything remotely close to that again,” she tweeted. “Now it’s happening so frequently that you barely have time to recover before someone else [is] killed. RIP Takeoff.”
Other hip-hop artists sharing their grief on social media were Teyana Taylor, Kid Cudi, and Keke Palmer.
At Friday’s service, Quavo and Offset shared emotional speeches about their relative and bandmate to a packed venue of Georgians. Complimentary tickets went live on Ticketmaster at 2 p.m. Tuesday and were sold out less than four hours later. Although attendees were asked to adhere to a no-photo and no-video policy, short videos have been circulating of the speeches and performances including that of Drake, Chloe Bailey, Yolanda Adams, and Byron Cage. To close, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens presented Takeoff’s family with the Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor.