On Tuesday (November 15), rapper Offset shared a lengthy text on Instagram remembering and paying tribute to his late rap partner Takeoff. Takeoff was shot and killed on November 1 in Houston while playing dice at a bowling alley with rapper Quavo, who was Takeoff’s uncle and is Offset’s cousin. Takeoff turned 28 and together they formed the rap trio Migos.
Kiari Kendrell Cephus, as Offset’s real name is, spoke for the first time publicly about the death of the murdered Kirshnik Khari Ball (Takeoff). On November 11, the funeral for the rapper was held in a stadium in Atlanta, but recording was forbidden there. In the Instagram post, Offset wrote: “The pain you left me is unbearable. My heart is broken and I have so many things to say but I can’t find the words. I fell asleep and woke up hoping this was all just a dream, but it’s the reality and it feels like a nightmare.”
“Every time you saw me, you didn’t hug me, you just danced. I wish I could hug you one last time. Laugh with you one last time. Smoking with you one last time. Appearing with you one last time. I know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven right now. I hope you can see how much we love and miss you. You have left a void in my heart that will never be filled,” he writes afterwards and also wishes: “Give me strength, give strength to your brothers, give strength to your family. Even though I know that you will always be with us, give me a little sign or a nice dream. I love you forever, for life and beyond.”
In addition, he added some pictures to his post showing the rappers together. The oldest of the three rappers Quavious Keyate Marshall (Quavo) shared a longer text on Instagram the day after the funeral (November 12). In the background is a collage of images of Takeoff: “It’s so hard to say how much I miss you because you were always with me and we did everything together. Ever since we were children you have been by my side, looking up at me with your eyes waiting for the next step. Then you followed me.” He then writes about memories of his nephew and how Takeoff’s dream was to become a rapper. Towards the end of the text he says: “All this time I’ve been trying to find out who you are, because you weren’t my nephew. We hated the word “nephew” or even if they “Unc and Phew” [kurz für Uncle and Nephew] said because we were more than that and made me old. I know you’re not my brother because you’re my sister’s son, so I couldn’t say brother either. Now I know who you are… You are OUR angel.”