It’s been nearly two months since the world lost Takeoff in a fatal shooting, and his death is understandably still affecting his cousin and fellow Migos member Offset.
In a tweet posted Wednesday (Dec. 21), he shared that it’s not easy putting on a fake smile while continuing to deal with grief.
Also sharing a throwback photo of Takeoff performing onstage, the “Clout” rapper penned, “S**t not easy fake smiling and s**t tryna keep walking with my head up.”
Earlier this month, Offset said on social media that he was “in a dark place.” He also shared artwork featuring Takeoff, revealing, “I miss you bra tryna push through the pain.”
Cardi B recently got vulnerable about her husband’s grieving process. According to People, she shared in a deleted Twitter post, “We living our life normally, but deep down inside our hearts have been so heavy.”
“I feel like if I talk about the incident so desensitized, I feel like if we talk about how we really feel or what motherf**kers really been going through, y’all will start saying, ‘Oh, sympathy,’” she continued. “And we don’t want no sympathy. We ain’t no charity case. But no lie, I have been feeling so hopeless trying to make my husband happy.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 18: (L-R) Quavo and Takeoff of Migos, Cardi B, and Offset of Migos attend the 67th NBA All-Star Game: Team LeBron Vs. Team Stephen at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Takeoff died at age 28 after suffering gunshot wounds to his “head and torso” on Nov. 1. He was outside of a Houston area bowling alley when the shooting occurred, with Quavo also at the scene.
Patrick Clark, who allegedly pulled the trigger, has since been taken into custody and charged with Takeoff’s murder. As HotNewHipHop previously reported, Clark’s lawyer announced that he may use a self-defense claim.
Check back in with HNHH for any new updates on the case.
The past year may have been marred by devastating tragedies and frustrating personality shifts in hip-hop, but it was also distinguished by some of rap’s most emotive, vulnerable, and honest songwriting ever. So while we may have lost a few heroes – whether to violence or their own infuriating intolerance, the music we got this year was top-notch.
Whether it was underground favorites like Denzel Curry and Saba or top-line hitmakers such as Kendrick Lamar and Megan Thee Stallion, rappers dug deep with releases that resembled therapeutic breakthroughs as much as club bangers or street anthems. We got plenty of those, too, though, especially from trap rap stalwarts like Lil Baby and 21 Savage.
It’s hard to pin down how the trends ebbed and flowed throughout the year, mainly because TikTok continued to be a dominating force in music discovery (such as it is when an algorithm is feeding you artists and songs it thinks you’d be inclined to like already). But the breakout artist of the year, no doubt, is GloRilla.
What makes her rise to stardom so impressive is that it began relatively late in the year. “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” with Hitkidd was released in April but didn’t rise to the Billboard Hot 100 until August. Once it got there, though, everything happened fast for Glo, from signing to her hometown hero’s label to working with the streaming era’s premiere breakout star, Cardi B.
2022, unfortunately, marked yet another year that Cardi punted on releasing a follow-up to her Grammy-winning debut. But, in keeping with the theme of vulnerable honesty, she readily admitted (after plenty of goading from fans on social media, mind you) that she feels understandable anxiety about the potential reception of her sophomore album.
And with similar anxiety seemingly keeping one of the other marquee women in hip-hop, Saweetie, from dropping her debut, there were fewer high-profile releases from women altogether – although, if you scratched the surface, the high tide female rappers reached in prior years hasn’t yet washed back out to sea.
Megan Thee Stallion led the charge with her soul-baring second album, Traumazine, which naturally fit into the span of therapeutic releases this year. But she wasn’t alone; 2022 also saw a number of well-received releases from the likes of Armani Caesar, Latto, Leikeli47, Little Simz, Rico Nasty, and Sampa The Great. So, sure, there was plenty of Cardi/Nicki-related friction, but the rap girlies are doing just fine – kill the narrative that they’re fading away.
Unfortunately, the narrative that might be harder to end is the one in which rap fans have noted what appears to be a marked increase in rap-related homicides. After losing notable names like Nipsey Hussle, Young Dolph, and Drakeo The Ruler in recent years, 2022 saw a slew of deaths rock the hip-hop community, including Lil Keed, who died from kidney failure, PnB Rock, and Takeoff, who were both shot to death, and Coolio, who suffered a heart attack.
Even after losing all those names, though, the more infuriating loss might well be that of Kanye West, who finally went all the way off the deep end. After years of flirting with controversial topics – the red hat, the Donald Trump stanning, the unprompted attacks on everyone from his in-laws to Drake – the man who made The College Dropout decided to go full-on tinfoil hat, sharing his antisemitic conspiracy theories with anyone who’d listen. Unfortunately, it seems that there were a lot of programs more than happy to entertain him, and too many outlets hungry for engagement that indulged the insanity.
To be clear, hip-hop has always had its share of conspiracy theorists and ugly, seemingly ingrained beliefs about certain people. Rap’s far too often violent, misogynistic, and casually dismissive of racial insensitivity. But what Kanye West has done this year is beyond the pale. It sucks that there will be those who’ll think he has a point about being “canceled” or [shudder] even about the content of his disgusting remarks.
But perhaps there was enough good this year to offset his bad. With more and more rappers advocating for the benefits of therapy, perhaps rap listeners will be able to move in more productive directions regarding the above flaws of the genre. After all, with streaming, there’s more opportunity for self-selection – maybe enough fans can finally help tip the scale away from self-destructive themes toward more creative and fulfilling ones.
Even if not, one thing we have learned in 2022 is that there is still so much variety and diversity within this genre, even 50 years out from its inception, that it can still surprise us. It can still excavate new perspectives and epiphanies to both entertain and enlighten its fans. With the highs and lows of 2022 in the rearview, it’s easy to look forward to what 2023 has in store.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Takeoff tragically lost his life in November after suffering a fatal shooting at a Houston bowling alley and event center. Since then, 33-year-old Patrick Clark has been arrested and charged with the rapper’s murder.
After allegedly attempting to flee the United States, his legal team has revealed that Clark may pursue a self-defense claim in court.
INDIO, CA – APRIL 15: Rapper Takeoff of the hip hip group Migos performs on the Sahara stage during week 1, day 3 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 15, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella )
Per the Associated Press, one of Clark’s lawyers implied during a recent hearing that he opened fire after another person initially shot at him. But police tell a different story, claiming that Clark was the first to fire a shot.
“We feel comfortable that when the time is right that Mr. Clark will have a valid and meritorious claim for self-defense,” the lawyer stated. She reportedly declined to explain further to reporters.
Clark was initially given a $2 million bond following his arrest earlier this month. But his lawyers attempted to lower it at a court hearing this past Wednesday.
A district judge acknowledged that Clark might be a flight risk. They also revealed that his “Google searches for fake tickets cause me a great deal of concern.”
Eventually, though, he agreed to lower the bond to $1 million with security measures expected to be put in place. Clark’s lawyer hopes to reduce it further to $300,000, a figure that could be more affordable for his family.
Takeoff was fatally shot in November and passed away at age 28. Quavo, his uncle and collaborator, was also at the scene during the shooting.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 11: A view of atmosphere during a Celebration of Life for Takeoff of Migos at State Farm Arena on November 11, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Takeoff was fatally shot at 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston, TX in the early hours of November 1, 2022 at the age of 28. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images)
His funeral was held in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena and brought in a number of mourning stars. The City Girls, Alicia Keys, Justin Beiber, and more attended the event to pay their respects.
Both Quavo and Offset spoke at the service in honor of Takeoff, along with Drake.
Check back in with HNHH for updates on Takeoff’s murder case.
According to TMZ, legal documents say 33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark filed a motion to bring his $2 million bail all the way down to $100,000. If so, he would live with his parents, wear a GPS monitor, and follow a given curfew. He said he’s also willing to give up his passport, which had been part of his plan to flee to Mexico.
When revealing the news that Clark tried to flee, ABC News shared a report that read, “In requesting the $2 million bond, prosecutors argued that Clark posed a high flight risk because he had purchased tickets to Mexico two days before his arrest and applied for an expedited passport.” The Houston Police held a press conference confirmed that “the investigation is still ongoing” and explained it “was an argument that happened afterwards outside the bowling alley, which led to the shooting.”
The weeks that have passed since Takeoff’s death haven’t made the loss any easier to bear. Thankfully December began on a high note as police finally arrested someone in connection with the case.
33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark is the alleged gunman behind the youngest Migo’s death. As he awaits trial, he’s been given a hefty $2 million bail fee. His lawyer, Carl Moore, simply doesn’t think his client can pay that much.
According to TMZ, the accused murderer filed a motion on Monday (December 12) in Texas. The documents reveal that he’s seeking to have his bond significantly taken down to just $100K.
Clark says he’ll be able to pull these funds together with the help of a professional bondsman. Additionally, he’s promising to live with his parents upon release, where he was apparently previously residing.
Moore has assured the court that his client will wear a GPS monitor at all times. He’ll also be responsible for following a curfew from a judge – if his motion earns approval, that is. To ensure he doesn’t attempt to flee the country (again), Clark is willing to surrender his passport.
Another clause in the potential deal states that he’ll follow any “no contact” order that comes his way with respect to different people.
It remains unclear what the odds of Clark making bail currently are. Before being taken into custody, reports say that he was attempting to get an emergency passport. At the same time, Takeoff’s murder investigation was unfolding and his family was in mourning.
Just last week, a judge gave the DJ $5,000. The money will go toward a private investigator. At this time, Patrick seems eager to prove that he was framed. Many of those closest to him were in shock when news of the charges came out, reports say.
Takeoff of the music group Migos performs on stage at American Airlines Arena on November 13, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
Read more about that here, and check back in with HNHH later for any updates regarding Takeoff. RIP.
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This past weekend, Offset honored Takeoff with Jackson 5’s , “Never Could Say Goodbye.” The former Migo also said he would pay tribute to his late cousin and bandmate before performing in any city. Updated by Kendall Parks on 12/13/2022 at 6:34 pm The “Clout” artist announced he would honor his late Migos groupmate, Takeoff […]
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Last week, Cardi B revealed the household struggle of keeping her husband, Offset, happy following the death of fellow Migos member Takeoff. Cardi hit Twitter and delivered a message via Twitter voice notes.
“It has been a couple of weeks, and I feel like a lot of people are starting to feel a little bit comfortable with trying to be funny, trying to say slick shit. I know that y’all been seeing my InstaStories and y’all see Offset in and out on my Stories. You know, we’re living our life normally, but deep down inside our hearts have been so heavy.
I feel like if I talk about the incident so desensitized, I feel like if we talk about how we really feel or what muthafuckas really been going through, y’all will start saying, ‘Oh, sympathy.’ And we don’t want no sympathy. We ain’t no charity case. But no lie, I have been feeling so hopeless trying to make my husband happy.
Trying to make him crack a smile, seeing him randomly cry, see him trying to distract his mind completely, schedules been changing, trying to keep up with work after everything that he’s been going through these past couple of weeks. We not in the mood to be fucking playing around with y’all, deadass. I will deadass kill y’all. Stop fucking playing.”
With tributes and memories of Takeoff continuing to pour in, Offset is asking all fans to only provide positive memories. Hitting Instagram, Offset asked for a “good light.”
“Don’t post takeoff unless it’s in good light please!” Offset wrote.
