Takeoff — the member of iconic hip-hop group Migos who was tragically shot in Houston last week — was memorialized in a Friday afternoon service at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
The 28-year-old, whose legal name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, was the youngest member of Migos with his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset. While police are still investigating the death, indications are that he was killed by a stray bullet after a dice game dispute that he wasn’t involved in.
Takeoff’s eulogy was offered by Rev. Jesse Curney, III, senior pastor of New Mercies Christian Church in Lilburn, Georgia. Earlier this week Curney told Atlanta’s V-103 that Takeoff “loved coming to worship.”
“I plan to remember him as the young man I saw grow up in the church who loved being with his family, who loved coming to worship, and in times when he made it to church with his busy schedule, he still came as just a regular worshiper,” Curney said. “[He was] one who showed love to his fans while he was in church after church. Everyone allowed him to worship and just be a regular person.”
Curney said the rapper and his family had been attending his church since he was 10 years old, and called on members of the Black community to do better.
“It is a great loss, and it’s sad that we, as African Americans continue to do this to ourselves. And so, therefore, I hope that this is a wake-up call for all of us that there really needs to be some serious changes within our community,” he said.
“I think that’s what’s so important for me and most of his family [is] that this was a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, a cousin,” he added. “And so, therefore [we want] to remember his love that he shared with everyone. He gave to everyone. That’s the person I know, and that’s the person I can speak of.”
