Takeoff, Member of Popular Atlanta Rap Trio Migos, Dead at 28

Takeoff, second from right, was shot and killed Tuesday morning in Houston.

Takeoff, one-third of the popular Atlanta rap group Migos, is dead following an early morning shooting in Houston.

Rest in Peace Kirshnik “Takeoff” Khari Ball

Takeoff’s legacy lives on in Atlanta and across the world

Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends pic.twitter.com/27UbMtCLkY

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 1, 2022

A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department said the artist was shot outside a bowling alley on Tuesday.

Police responded to reports of a shooting at 810 Billiards & Bowling at around 2:30 a.m. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered one man dead (from a gunshot wound to the head or neck) and two other people injured.

Takeoff wanted his flowers 💐🕊️ pic.twitter.com/KbjLgBlorv

— Hot Freestyle (@HotFreestyle) November 1, 2022

Later authorities positively identified the victim as Takeoff. Born Kirshnik Khari Ball, the 28-year-old was the youngest member of the chart-topping group he formed with his uncle Quavo and cousin Offset.

Media partners: We will have a 3 p.m. news conference at HPD Headquarters at 1200 Travis St on this fatal shooting investigation.

Additional information will be released at that time. We will live-stream the news conference on our Twitter and Facebook platforms. #hounews https://t.co/NjRs2vcHTE

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 1, 2022

When the incident transpired, forty to fifty people were at the after-party, including Qauvo. No arrests have been announced yet.

Formed in Atlanta in 2008, Migos has been one of hip-hop's most successful acts. The group has sold over three million albums and received two Grammy Award nominations.

Takeoff also found success outside the group. His solo album, “The Last Rocket,” debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2018. Recently, along with Quavo, he released “Only Built for Infinity Links,” which peaked at No. 7.

Jay-Z Tops Hip-Hop Billionaires List, Diddy Surges, as Kanye West Falls

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs

With Kanye West's self-immolation nearly complete, as he continues to burn down his music and fashion empires with his heated and hate-filled rhetoric, another has risen to replace him on the throne of hip-hop's billionaires.

Jay-Z, an idol, mentor, and sometimes partner-in-rhyme with West—who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021—now holds the number one spot thanks to his $1.5 billion fortune.

The news comes courtesy of reporting from former Forbes entertainment editor Zack O’Malley Greenburg. Currently covering the business of music at Substack, Greenburg dove deep into the numbers to find Ye's wealth-heir apparent after the rapper lost a reported $2 billion in net worth.

"All in all, the genre’s top five acts are now worth a combined $3.8 billion," Greenburg, who published his last hip-hop wealth list for Forbes in 2019, wrote. "Since then, the world has changed quite a bit, but the five richest artists’ combined net worth has jumped 20% from a pre-pandemic total of $3.17 billion."

Hailed as the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019, Jay-Z overtook his former protégé with a diverse and growing portfolio that includes investments in everything from real estate to art and spirits.

Fellow mononymous artist, Diddy, another former collaborator surged into second place on the list with a $1 billion net worth, courtesy of lucrative deals with Cîroc, DeLeón Tequila and the Revolt media network, among others.

Following antisemitic comments and other erratic behavior that led to the end of lucrative deals with a slew of companies, including his massive partnership with Adidas — distributor of his Yeezy shoes — Ye fell to third on the list with $500 million.

Gilbert “Berner” Milam ($410 million), and Dr. Dre ($400 million) rounded out the top-five earners in hip-hop. Milam, a Bay Area rapper, secured his spot on the strength of his cannabis empire, Cookies. The company sells 70 strains of weed and 2,000 different marijuana-related products around the globe.

Dre, who once proclaimed himself the first billionaire in hip-hop following the sale of his Beats headphone empire to Apple, was No. 5 on the list. The producer, whose fortune peaked at $800 million, has taken hits to his wealth in recent years thanks to a divorce and some expensive investments, including the purchase of Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s Los Angeles mansion for $40 million.

For more information on Greenburg’s methodology, click here.

Salt-N-Pepa Headed to Hollywood Walk of Fame

Salt-N-Pepa to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Nov. 4.

The first ladies of rap are getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday that Salt-N-Pepa will receive the Walk's 2,738th star on Friday, Nov. 4.

"This upcoming star ceremony honoring Hip-Hop pioneers Salt-N-Pepa will honor the amazing 80s music we all love and so many grew up with," Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a statement.

She added that the hip-hop duo would be in good company:

"We’re placing these ladies of Hip Hop royalty adjacent to Amoeba Music and right next to the Walk of Fame star of another Queen of Hip Hop, Missy Elliott!"

👑👑🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 What a Blessing to be beside Salt & Pepa who inspired me to Rap! My sisters for over 2 Decades! & they took a lot of Criticism coming in this game to make the female emcees after them walk through the door a lot easier💜 Thank you S&P RESPECT👑 https://t.co/mqdbMUpnnA

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) October 26, 2022

Comprised of Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandra "Pepa" Denton, Salt-N-Pepa’s 1986 debut album "Hot, Cool & Vicious" sold over one million copies.

The lead single "Push it" topped the charts in three countries and helped the group become the first female rap act to achieve both gold and platinum status.

Salt-N-Pepa enjoyed continued success in the following decades, selling over 15 million albums, racking up three No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart and placing five albums on the Billboard 200.

In 1995, Salt-N-Pepa won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The victory was the first for a women’s rap group in the category.

The group responded to the announcement on Instagram with a post of it captioned, "We are honored and excited!"

Their soon-to-be neighbor on the Walk of Fame was among the first to congratulate them on the accomplishment.

"What a blessing to be beside Salt-N-Pepa, who inspired me to rap,” Elliott tweeted. “My sisters for over [two] decades [and] they took a lot of criticism coming in this game to make the female emcees after them walk through the door a lot easier. Thank you, S&P. RESPECT.”

Salt-N-Pepa replied, "Our stars being beside each other makes it all the more special. Your sisterhood and friendship is such a blessing. Thank you."

Our stars being beside each other makes it all the more special. Your sisterhood and friendship is such a blessing. Thank you @MissyElliott 🇯🇲❤️ https://t.co/BeJaPkbpI3

— Salt N Pepa (@TheSaltNPepa) October 26, 2022

The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. (PT). Fellow rap legends Mc Lyte and Roxanne Chante will be on-hand as guest speakers. Those unable to attend the event in person can stream it for free at walkoffame.com.