Rapper Takeoff of the rap group Migos, most known for their hits “Slippery” ft. Gucci Mane and “Walk It Like I Talk It” ft. Drake, along with other songs that have amassed billions of listens across platforms, has passed away after an incident on early in the hours of the first of November in the early hours in Houston over a dice game. Not only was the news heartbreaking as any death would be, but the numerous pieces of media that were displayed across social media in the early hours of the death showing the Atlanta-based rapper dead, bleeding out on the Houston bowling alley floor were enough to make any person be absolutely devastated at the loss of a young life. What was originally a late night out for Halloween for the group has now resulted in one of the most heartbreaking events of the year within the media industry.

The shooting was said to have started over a dice game after Quavo, another member of the Migos group, and J Prince Jr were in an argument over him leaving the party, with not much details being discussed about what exactly was being discussed just yet. Somewhere in the angry fluster of words, guns were pulled and this is eventually where tragedy would be brewing. Despite not being involved in the ordeal itself and just being a bystander, in the flurry of gunfire that erupted after certain actions were taken by both parties resulted in rapper Takeoff, real name Kirshnik Ball, was the first person to fall after being hit by a gunshots in the abdomen as well as head.

In today’s day and age, the amount of footage that was posted to the internet after the attack was disheartening to see. From multiple angles, Takeoff was recorded being surrounded by others while laying bleeding in the Houston Bowling Alley. In another video, Takeoff’s Uncle and fellow member of Migos Quavo is heard saying “Take”, a call to his fallen nephew that life had just been taken in an incident that should have never escalated to the point of gunfire being let out. It was later announced from sources that he had to be carried out of the event that night, presumably to shock.

This is a case that seems that is rinsed and repeated, another young artist gone too soon. In the past five years, there have been many cases of rappers passing away in incidents of gunfire being let out oftentimes issues that would be considered petty crimes if no murder was involved.

The most recent case of a rapper dying due to gun violence was rapper PNB Rock from Philadelphia, who just a month ago was gunned down at popular waffle spot Roscoes in Los Angeles after his girlfriend’s post revealed the location of the couple. Although many people criticized the widowed girlfriend for her “doxing” of her boyfriend’s location, why should she feel that she can’t even post a simple bite out to eat with her partner without feeling that it will result in violence, let alone the death of their significant other?

A case of a business itself being affected by a rapper’s death and the violence that sometimes follows is the robbery attempt gone wrong on rapper Young Dolph in November of 2021. While in his hometown of Memphis and purchasing some cookies from a local bakery, Dolph (real name Adolph Thornton) was approached by 23 year old Jacob Johnson and 32 year old Cornelius Smith in a Mercedes right in front of the establishment, where he was gunned down with no motive besides for the fact that he was famous. Now coming up on a year since the robbery resulting in the death of the rapper, the business that was the location of the crime, Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies, was closed to the public up until September of this year after violence erupted in Memphis for months after the death of the popular hometown rapper.

Another infamous case of a rapper hitting their prime before they were gunned down was rapper Pop Smoke, who in February 2020 was killed in a home burglary by a then 15-year-old thief in his rented home after posting that he was in the Los Angeles area (famously being from the New York drill scene). Many feel that this post “doxxed” his location and provided it to Corey Walker, the person eventually found possible for the conspiracy to set the hit up on the late rapper, also known as Bashar Jackson.

With the tragedy that these deaths have put across the globe, I think that this most recent passing of Takeoff should serve as another tearful reminder that violence is never the answer when it comes to disputes. Due to lyrical content and the life perimeters surrounding rap and the hip hop game many of the people involved feel that they must stay stuck in this cycle of putting each other behind bars but this should all be our sign to rise above this hate. Although one wins in conflict, many people lose when it comes to the act of killing and it is never the solution to any problem.