Takeoff (rapper)
Kirsnick Khari Ball[1][a] (June 18, 1994 – November 1, 2022), known professionally as Takeoff, was an American rapper. He was best known as the youngest member of the hip hop group Migos along with his uncle Quavo and close affiliate Offset.[4][5] The group scored multiple top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including "MotorSport" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Cardi B), "Stir Fry", "Walk It Talk It" (featuring Drake), and "Bad and Boujee" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert), the last of which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He also received two Grammy Award nominations.[6] On November 1, 2022, Takeoff was fatally shot in Houston, Texas.[7][8]
Takeoff
November 1, 2022 (aged 28)
Gunshot wounds
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
2008–2022
- Quavo (uncle)
Early life[edit]
Kirsnick Khari Ball was born on June 18, 1994,[1] in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he was raised by his mother, along with family members Quavo and Offset.[9][10][11] He started making beats and developing rhythms in the seventh grade,[12] but did not start recording music professionally until 2011, when he released the mixtape Juug Season with Quavo and Offset in August of that year as part of the hip hop trio Migos.[13]
Career[edit]
2008–2018: Early work with Migos[edit]
Along with fellow family members Quavo and Offset, Takeoff began rapping in 2008. The group initially performed under the stage name Polo Club, but eventually changed their name to Migos. The group released their first full-length project, a mixtape titled Juug Season, on August 25, 2011. They followed with the mixtape No Label, on June 1, 2012.[14]
Migos initially rose to prominence after the release of their single "Versace", in 2013. The song was remixed by Canadian rapper Drake and peaked at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 31 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[15] Their debut studio album, Yung Rich Nation, was released on July 31, 2015, and featured guest appearances from Chris Brown and Young Thug, and production from Zaytoven and Murda Beatz.[16] The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200.[17]
Legal issues[edit]
Georgia Southern University incident[edit]
On April 18, 2015, Migos were scheduled to headline Georgia Southern University's 2015 Spring concert at Hanner Fieldhouse. The show started at 7:00 p.m. with local opening acts; however, the group took to the stage nearly an hour and a half later than their scheduled 9:00 p.m. set time. Although their performance contract stipulated a minimum 45-minute set length, the group performed for less than 30 minutes before leaving the stage.[31][32]
The University Police Department, the Statesboro Police Department and the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office, who were present at the concert as security detail, detected a strong scent of marijuana from the group's vans, and the drivers were questioned by law enforcement. Upon further investigation, the rap trio and 12 members of their entourage were arrested for possession of marijuana and another controlled substance, possession of firearms within a school safety zone, possession of firearms during the commission of a crime, and possession of firearms by convicted felons.[31][32]
While university officials had been aware of Migos' reputation, the group were allowed to perform as the student body had voted to have the group perform among seven acts that were up for consideration, and student fees and ticket sales were used to pay for the concert.[33] According to the performance contract, the group were to be paid $30,000 with their promoter Big House Collective receiving an additional $3,000. University officials initially sought to put Migos in breach of contract due to the group's late arrival, shortened performance, and possession of contraband on university property; however, the university ultimately paid half of the agreed-upon fees.[34][35]
On April 20, 2015, Takeoff, Quavo, and six members of their entourage were released on bond by the Bulloch County District Attorney's Office while Offset and six others remained in custody without bond. As a result of their arrests, on April 28, 2015, Migos announced they would postpone their Yung Rich Nation Tour until July.[36]
Sexual assault allegations[edit]
On August 5, 2020, news broke that Takeoff was named as the perpetrator in a civil lawsuit filed by a female victim on charges of "sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, and interference with civil rights" at a June 2020 party in Los Angeles.[37][38][39] As of April 2, 2021, it was reported that the Los Angeles District Attorney's office would not be filing criminal charges against Takeoff due to insufficient evidence. The civil suit court proceedings were still in progress as of April 2021.[40][41][42]
Studio albums
Collaborative albums