Today, rapper TakeOff was laid to rest in his hometown of Atlanta. The funeral was held at the State Farm Arena, where all 20,000 tickets sold out immediately, as locals were given free tickets to say goodbye to the rapper. It has been a bittersweet day for fans, who have taken to celebrating him and his music while mourning his troubling loss. TakeOff was only 28 years old.
Long Live Takeoff 🚀🚀🚀 Sad day in Atlanta Fam ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ž pic.twitter.com/hQUpURcnrh
— 🖤JuicyGenius🇺🇸 (@MsJuicyGenius) November 11, 2022
The requirements for guests were reportedly very strict at the arena. They were asked not to film, and phones were collected. However, footage has still hit the internet from the stadium. Outside of the State Farm Arena, a giant photo was erected of TakeOff, spotting some square frame and a black suit. It read “Celebrating the Life of Takeoff” with a rocket above him. Complex Music reshared it with the caption “Long Live Takeoff.”
Atlanta weather reflected the moment, with cloudy skies and rain above the crowd. However, this did not stop fans from taking to the streets to pay their respects. Many posted videos of themselves driving up to the venue, showcasing the rain. “Long Live Takeoff, Sad day in Atlanta Fam,” posted one person with a video showing the rain outside of their car. Another person commented, “Of course it’s raining!! It rained on my brother’s funeral as well. God is receiving an angel!”
Photos from inside showed the massive stage, which was full of floral arrangements. Images of TakeOff appeared on several screens while the Cuban links chain flag from his final album with his uncle Quavo can be seen in the background. Fans also shared images of the funeral program, which included several musical selections, prayer, poetry, video montage, acknowledgment, benediction, and words of comfort. It featured a mural-like photo collage of pictures from TakeOff’s childhood all the way up through adulthood. It also featured pictures of planets and a spacecraft. At the bottom, it read, “I Put my heart inside this sh*t cause I was chose. I put my heart inside, and only god knows.”
Takeoff’s funeral program pic.twitter.com/0zoRmIjvPa
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) November 11, 2022
R&B singer Chloe was present and sang Beyonce’s song “Heaven.” The song was originally written for the baby Bey and Jay lost before having Blue Ivy. While some were happy to see clips from inside, others commented, “Disrespectful af…. I swear people have no decency or respect for the family’s wishes…” and “They wasn’t supposed to have phones.”
Drake was present and spoke about his late friend. The Toronto rapper postponed a show at New York’s historic Apollo Theater to come and pay his respects. He helped put Migos on the map when he remixed their song “Versace” back in 2014. While some were happy to see him there, others criticized him for releasing an album the week TakeOff passed. “And he didn’t have the courtesy to delay his album release during this time of mourning,” asked one person.
Fans who managed to be there got to see a long-awaited reunion between Quavo and Offset. Hollywood Unlocked reported, “Takeoff’s Funeral: Offset and Quavo came together today. They both said they wanted to focus on brotherhood and family. Offset’s speech was very emotional, and he could barely get anything out.” Today was the first time Cardi B and Offset have been spotted since Takeoff’s passing.
Offset And Cardi B Spotted Heading To Takeoff's Funeral pic.twitter.com/fMxpoLUwpa
— No Jumper (@nojumper) November 11, 2022
TakeOff was also honored by the mayor of Atlanta with the city’s Phoenix Award. According to The Shade Room, “The award is given to those who have made significant contributions to the city of Atlanta.” On Twitter, Long Live Takeoff is currently trending along with LLTakeoff. Fans continue to remember the late rapper with past clips, childhood images and favorite moments. RIP Takeoff.
