Rapper Takeoff, best known as one-third of the hip-hop group Migos, was shot and killed Tuesday morning, a rep confirmed.
The Grammy-nominated hitmaker, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, died in a shooting after a fight broke out over a dice game at a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston, TMZ reported. He was 28.
A rep, who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the rapper’s death to the Associated Press.
Houston Police and fire officials arrived on the scene at around 2:40 a.m. after some people heard gunfire on the balcony.
“A lot of folks were there,” Police Lt. Ronnie Wilkins told the Houston Chronicle. “They were in front of the bar. The bar was closed at the time, but people were congregating out on the balcony area. Everybody fled.”
Footage obtained by TMZ showed fellow Migos member, Quavo, 31, and others gathered around Takeoff, who was lying on the ground. The clip reportedly showed the group trying to move his body before they put him back down and shouted for help.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Two additional victims were transported to nearby hospitals in private vehicles in unknown condition.
Police did not release the identities of the victims, but said the person killed was a man in his late 20s.
“We won’t release any information on him until we’re able to get more information on him either from the medical examiner’s office once they positively identify him from the autopsy, or friends and family come forward and give us information on who he is,” Sgt. Michael Arrington told the Houston Chronicle.
Quavo, who is also Takeoff’s uncle, was not injured, TMZ reported.
Police confirmed that Quavo and Takeoff were in attendance, but declined to say whether they were involved in the shooting.
No arrests have been made.
“If this does turn out to be a high-profile case, we want to make sure justice is found for the people involved, not just the person who was (fatally) shot, but everyone else who’s at the hospital right now,” Sgt. Michael Arrington said.
Just hours before the shooting, Takeoff was all smiles on Instagram as she shared a selfie from the bowling alley.
Reps for Quavo, and Migos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Takeoff’s lawyer, Drew Findling, told the New York Times that his death was “a devastating loss, particularly for Atlanta.”
“When you’re around Takeoff, there’s a sense of peacefulness about his aura,” Findling told the newspaper. “He listens to you, he looks at you, he’s more focused on what you have to say than what he has to say. The world was starting to learn about Takeoff. It was his time to shine.”
Takeoff formed the band along with his uncle, Quavo, and cousin, Offset, 30, in 2008. Months before rebranding as Migos, the trio called themselves Polo Club.
They released their first mixtape “Juug Season” in 2011. Rapper Gucci Mane became a mentor for the trio which led them to their first signing with Atlanta label Quality Control.
Their first major track was “Versace” which dropped in 2013 and instantly became a multi-platinum record. Drake was later featured on the remix of the song, boosting its profile even more.
The song paved the way for the trio’s 2017 album “Culture” which later received a Grammy nomination in 2018 for “Best Rap Album.”
Migos also received a Grammy nomination that same year for “Best Rap Performance” for their hit track “Bad and Boujee.”
The trio reportedly split from Offset, who is married to rapper Cardi B, earlier this year, and instead rebranded as Unc & Phew.
“We stand on real deal loyalty, and sometimes that s-t ain’t displayed,” Quavo told Revolt earlier this year. “This ain’t got nothing to do with no label, no paperwork, no QC, nothing. This got something to do with the three brothers. And s-t, it is what it is. Right now, we gonna be the duo ’til time tell.”
On Monday, Unc & Phew released their latest music video for their newly-released track “Messy.”
Takeoff, who was born in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville, dabbled in solo projects during his time with Migos, releasing his debut solo album “The Last Rocket” in 2018.
