The 28-year-old, who was a member of the hip-hop trio Migos, was shot outside a Houston bowling alley earlier this month during an attack that also left another man and a woman injured. To remember the life and music of the star, whose real name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, State Farm Arena held a special memorial service for his fans. The home of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team lit up a huge effigy of the rapper outside the arena for the event, which saw fans from Georgia donate free tickets to get inside. Jennifer Loving, 22, stood in line with her son, Matteo, for more than an hour before the doors opened. She said Takeoff’s death was heartbreaking because he was so young. Migos’ music represented the creativity and culture of the black community, he said, and he worried the group would be too sad to make new music — at least for a while. “It’s something you can play anywhere, and everybody will come out and come and dance,” he said. “That’s how it brings people together. That’s how it makes the whole room fill with positivity.” Image: Jenifer Loving with her son, Mateo. Photo: AP “I pray for them” Eric Hood, an Atlanta firefighter, said he was shocked to hear of Takeoff’s death because of the three members of Migos, he was considered the loosest. Migos’ music was an “escape” for many people, he said, and he hoped the event would leave his family and the rest of the group with lasting memories of him. “I pray for them,” he said. “I hope they continue to be uplifting, positive, influential members of society and continue to promote.” Houston Police Chief Troy Finer said the day after the shooting that Takeoff was “respectable” and that “there was no reason to believe he was involved in anything criminal at the time.” Image: Taking off, from left, Quavo and Offset, of Migos Fans asked to donate to charity The Grammy-nominated trio Migos also included Takeoff’s uncle Quavo and cousin Offset, all three of whom were largely raised by Takeoff’s mother. Migos first rose to fame in 2013 with their hit Versace, which became even more popular when Drake remixed it. They went on to have several hits, including the 2016 Grammy-winning Bad And Boujee, Motorsport (featuring Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, who is married to Offset), and Stir Fry. Migos’ record label, Quality Control, mourned Takeoff’s death in a statement posted on Instagram that attributed it to “brutal violence and a stray bullet,” but police have not confirmed this. In lieu of flowers or gifts, his family asked his fans to donate to The Rocket Foundation, which was established in Takeoff’s honor and aims to prevent gun violence.
