Takeoff

Background

Kirshnik Khari Ball, better known by his stage name, Takeoff, was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to Latabia Woodward, who works as a hairstylist. Takeoff’s father left the family when he was still young, so he was raised by his mother alongside fellow Migos rappers, Quavo and Offset. While growing up, Takeoff was always drawn to music. When he was in the seventh grade, he started developing beats and rhythms for fun. Soon, he began performing in musical gatherings and at random school events. In 2009, he was approached by his uncle and cousin, who were impressed by his talent. They formed a hip-hop trio called Polo Club.

The group made stage appearances in Georgia and created mediocre music. However, a few years of practice mellowed their music, and in 2011, Polo Club released their first mixtape, “Juug Season.” A few months later, they released a second mixtape and changed their group name to Migos. In 2013, Migos released their breakthrough single ‘Versace.’ The song hit number 11 on the Top Heatseekers chart, number 23 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, number 31 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100. A few months later, the group released another mixtape, “Y.R.N.,” in the wake of their popularity and featured ‘Versace’ as the lead single. This album catapulted Takeoff and his group to success and allowed them to perform on premiere platforms, including Hot 109.7 radio stations.

However, the band got an actual break with ‘Bad and Boujee,’ featuring Lil Uzi Vert. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2017 and was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (R.I.A.A.). A week later, the band released “Culture,” which hit number one on the Billboard 200, sold over 40,000 in its first week, and was certified platinum by July 2017. A year later, “Culture II” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 38,000 copies in its first week.

The rapper unfortunately passed away due to a shooting on November 1, 2022.