Migos rapper Takeoff killed at Houston bowling alley

Takeoff of Migos performs at the Wireless Music Festival, Crystal Palace Park, London, England, Sunday, Sep. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt) (Scott Garfitt, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HOUSTON, Texas. – Takeoff, the youngest rapper of Migos, was fatally shot early Tuesday morning at a bowling alley in Houston, Texas, TMZ first reported.

Houston police confirmed that one person was killed at 810 Billiards & Bowling Houston, but did not immediately release the victim’s identity.

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A representative for the rapper, however, confirmed his death to the Associated Press.

TMZ also cited law enforcement sources who confirmed to them that the victim was Takeoff, 28, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball.

They also obtained photos that show fellow Migos rapper Quavo kneeling over Takeoff’s body.

TMZ reported that the rappers were playing a dice game around 2:30 a.m. when a dispute broke out and Takeoff was shot in or near his head.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police confirmed that two others were also shot and were taken to a hospital in private vehicles.

Their conditions and identities have not yet been released.

TMZ reported that Quavo was not injured in the shooting.

Takeoff was the youngest member of Migos, the rap trio from suburban Atlanta that also featured his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset. They first broke through with the massive hit “Versace” in 2013. The song was remixed by Drake, heightening its popularity.

The group had four Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, though Takeoff was not on their multi-week No. 1 “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert. They put out a trilogy of albums called “Culture,” “Culture II” and “Culture III,” with the first two albums hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. They also earned an ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2018, for their streaming success with multiplatinum songs like “Motorsport (featuring Cardi B and Nicki Minaj),” “Stir Fry,” and “Walk It Talk It.”

The trio also played a fictional version of themselves on an episode of the hit TV show “Atlanta,” but the group wasn’t currently together.

Offset, who is married to Cardi B, released a solo album in 2019, while Takeoff and Quavo released a joint album “Only Built for Infinity Links” last month.


About the Authors

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

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