Takeoff tributes: Atlanta mural honors life of Migos rapper
ATLANTA - A new mural along the Atlanta BeltLine in Downtown Atlanta is paying tribute to the life of Migos rapper Takeoff as Atlanta’s mayor’s adds his voice to those concerned over the violence.
Takeoff, whose off-stage name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, was killed around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday outside of 810 Billiards & Bowling in Houston following a private party. An autopsy report shows he was shot twice.
Houston police say videos that have surfaced since the deadly shooting show at least one person of interest. Investigators say at least two people opened fire.
SECOND TMZ VIDEO SHOWS PERSON OF INTEREST SOUGHT BY POLICE IN TAKEOFF’S DEATH
Two others were injured in the shooting, but are expected to survive.
Takeoff tribute mural goes up overnight in Atlanta
Artist dedicates mural to late Migos rapper Takeoff
A mural in honor of Migos rapper Takeoff now sits on the Atlanta BeltLine after his death during a shooting in Houston. Armondo Monoletti is the painter behind the tribute, and he joins Good Day to shares what compelled him to honor the late rapper.
Artist Armondo Monoletti says it was not anything he was planning to do, but he knew he had to get up and go do it.
"I decided to go out in the middle of the night and put it up, that way people can come honor him during the day when people wake up and start walking past," Monoletti said.
He got there around 1 a.m. and spent the next four hours painting Takeoff’s image. He says he was celebrating Takeoff’s creative spirit while he worked.
"I had his music playing, his album ‘The Last Rocket,’" he said.
TAKEOFF'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER REMEMBERS YOUNG MAN ALWAYS FULL OF LIFE
He says he got emotional at times painting it and was surprised by how viral the image went.
"I was extremely tired, taking a nap from painting all night, woke up and my phone was just blowing up," he said. "It brought a tear to my eye because I was just happy I was able to honor him."
Monoletti says he, like the rest of Atlanta, is mourning.
Takeoff killed: Atlanta mayor says hip hop does not equal violence
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens posted a video to his Instagram account remembering Takeoff as an important cultural icon to the city and to hip hop.
"Takeoff is that member in the middle between two iconic brothers. Boisterous and big personalities in Quavo and Offset, and Takeoff was humble quiet and introspective," Mayor Dickens said.
He says he joins the community in mourning his death.
"My heart goes out to this family and Atlanta will be here to support all around Takeoff and his family, for the funeral and future beyond that," the mayor said.
The mayor also says hip hop is not about violence.
"I grew up on the music. I am still into the music. I can discern and make quality decisions about what I do and what I don't do," he said.
MIGOS RAPPER TAKEOFF REMEMBERED AS LOWKEY, AN ATLANTA ORIGINAL
The mayor says people need to think over the consequences of their actions and take responsibility for them.
"There's too many guns in our communities and guns plus mad people being mad equals bad outcomes," the mayor said. "These soulless people, senseless folks that will shoot up crowds indiscriminately we've had some happen in Atlanta. We've had people shoot up apartment complexes and near death situations for people who weren't even involved. We gotta stop that. That's what we gotta stop."
VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW LEAD-UP TO DEADLY SHOOTING OF MIGOS RAPPER TAKEOFF IN HOUSTON: TMZ
The mayor also addressed the growing culture of people filming violence and illegal activities which he feels has been trumping humanity and civility for fleeting social media fame.
"I think some of the things that we should be pointing at is individuals that want to film anything and everything. There's internet videos of Takeoff's body and people screaming in the background. I'm thinking, ‘Why are you just doing this for likes and followers?’" the mayor asked. "This is the same with school fights and arguments and street racing and donuts and stuff. Just filming anything for likes and attention."
During the past week, many used the terms "low key," "laid back," and "peaceful" to describe Takeoff. It was something Mayor Dickens asked everyone to try to embody moving forward.
"So, I'm asking us to focus on stopping the violence. I'm asking us in the essence of a young man like Takeoff only 28 years old, a humble good family dude, somebody who is introspective, he's versatile, and gives good lyrics, but he's also thoughtful. We need to live in that peace," the mayor said. "I'm asking us to make sure that we look at ourselves as people that can advocate for peace and bring down the violence."
Atlanta, long known as a cradle of change and the headquarters to hip hop, should combine all of the city’s talents to curb the violence, the mayor says.
"What I do think is that hip hop has a voice that can change the world. As the headquarters of hip hop, we're the headquarters for the civil rights movement, human rights movement, everything film, TV, entertainment, music, and culture, so I want our Atlanta community to spread like wildfire to everybody across the nation," the mayor said. "In honor of Takeoff, and his humility, and his love, and his passion, and his love for his family, I want us to do something wonderful here, and in his honor, live with peace, and spread love to everybody."
The Associated Press contributed to this report