Photo: hurricanehank / Shutterstock
He had so much ahead of him.
By Victoria Soliz — Written on Nov 02, 2022
Takeoff's final public interview has left fans feeling heartbroken about the rapper's lack of critical acclaim before his untimely death.
The 28-year-old Migos rapper, whose real name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, was tragically shot dead in the early hours of November 1 in Houston, Texas.
In a statement posted to Instagram by the rapper’s music label, it was revealed that Takeoff was killed by “a stray bullet.”
"It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our beloved brother Kirsnick Khari Ball, known to the world as Takeoff. Senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated,” the label wrote in the statement, also asking that fans respect the family’s privacy at the time.
As people look back on the rapper’s life, an interview with Takeoff just weeks before the shooting has taken on new meaning following his death.
In his final interview, Takeoff discussed wanting recognition before he dies.
On October 22, Quavo and Takeoff sat down with the Drink Champs podcast following the release of their debut album as a duo, "Only Built For Infinity Links."
The two discussed their musical journey, the future of Migos and where they stand with fellow group member Offset amid a rumored feud.
In the over two-hour interview, hosts N.O.R.E and DJ EFN ask the duo a plethora of questions.
But one clip of Takeoff’s response has now gone viral following the rapper’s death.
When talking about Quavo and Takeoff’s newest album, N.O.R.E praised Takeoff for the project, saying, “You shine in it. Not like you didn’t shine before but I felt like you was dancing on this one. It was always your time to prove it. Is that something you had in your mind when you were going into this?”
“Oh for sure,” Takeoff responds. “I mean enough is enough. I’m chill and laid back but it’s time to pop it. It’s time to give me my flowers. I don’t want them later on when I ain’t here.”
In the comments of a clip reposted after the rapper's death, fans noted the tragic nature of Takeoff's comments now that he has passed less than a month after the album's release.
"This is so sad. He definitely got his flowers on earth and he’s getting them now. Rest peacefully Takeoff," one fan wrote.
The album received mixed but overall positive reviews from critics and with Migos' multiple Grammy nominations, Takeoff was certainly not lacking in praise in his career.
Still, rap fans have been left heartbroken by the thought that the rapper didn't get to consolidate his legacy with future projects.
Victoria Soliz is a writer with YourTango who covers news and entertainment content. Her work explores pop culture trends, film and TV, and celebrity news