A star-studded “Celebration of Life” ceremony was held for Migos rapper, Takeoff, at the State Farm Arena, which has a capacity of 21,000 people.
Thousands of mourners made their way into Atlanta’s State Farm Arena to celebrate the life of the rapper Takeoff, born Kirsnick Khari Ball, who was shot dead on 1 November.
Drake delivered an emotional eulogy comparing himself and Migos to the Rat Pack, according to TMZ.
Meanwhile top-flight stars including Justin Bieber and Chloe Bailey delivered musical performances in Takeoff’s memory.
Among those in attendance were Quavo and Offset, who gave speeches at the funeral, as well as Cardi B, Teyana Taylor, Mayor Andre Dickens, Gucci Mane, Cee-Lo Green, City Girls, Russell Simons, Lil Yachty and many more.
According to a press release sent prior to the gathering, there was a “strict no photo and no video policy” inside of the venue.
However, one guest managed to snag a video of Drake giving a speech from inside the memorial and posted it on Twitter.
The “One Dance” rapper, 36, can be heard saying how he “loved” when Takeoff would remove his shades and squint his eyes while simultaneously having them wide open.
Justin Bieber took the stage and sang an acoustic version of his own 2021 song Ghost, with CNN reporting that a single piano was his only accompaniment.
“Since the love that you left is all that I get,” the lyrics run: “I want you to know that if I can’t be close to you I’ll settle for the ghost of you. I miss you more than life, and if you can’t be next to me your memory is ecstasy.”
Gospel singer Yolanda Adams reportedly performed her number “The Battle Is The Lord’s”, a song that draws its title from the first book of Samuel in the Old Testament.
Offset, his fellow Migo and cousin, took the stage well into the service and wept for the man that lay before him in a chrome casket, and his grief was bound to the arena.
“Take,” is all he could utter at first, overcome with sorrow. “I love you,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
For many minutes, he cried, with many people in the crowd cheering and shouting encouraging words.
Eventually calling the loss unbearable and saying his heart is shattered, he made a raw admission: “I don’t wanna question you, God, but I don’t get you sometimes.”
Leading a prayer, he called for fellowship. “I need to be held,” he said so vulnerably.
A video of Quavo’s eulogy has circulated on social media in which he recalled that since childhood, Takeoff had “been by my side, looking up at me with them eyes, same eyes you got as you got as my sister, waiting on me to make the next move, then you followed up right behind me. You always made sure I did it first so you could do it right with me.”
Quavo, who was just three years Takeoff’s senior, recalled: “You never competed with me. We was always on the same team, cause you hated playing against me, cause I always played too hard or too rough. And I could hear Momma saying: Not too rough, son, ‘cause I ain’t like to lose.”
He touchingly remembered that his and Takeoff’s “first dream” was not to venture into the music industry, both to become “tag-team partners in the WWE.”
Quavo and Takeoff had just released their first album as a duo, Unc & Phew, named for their family ties, on 7 October.
A flag based on the art for that record, Only Built for Infinity Links, was laid across Takeoff’s casket.
Takeoff’s pastor of 18 years, Jesse Curney, III, during his tribute to the rapper said: “This is a 28-year-old man whose life was ended senselessly.”
“Quavo and Offset, you might get mad at me,” warned Kevin Coach K Lee, the co-founder of Migos’ label Quality Control, “but he was the wise one.”
See photos from the funeral below: