Offset Is ‘Fake Smiling’ While Trying to Keep His ‘Head Up’ Following Takeoff’s Death

Offset is finding it difficult to express any real happiness following the death of his cousin and Migos bandmate Takeoff.

The Atlanta-born rapper, 31, took to Twitter on Wednesday (Dec. 21) to share yet another heartfelt remembrance of Takeoff, who was murdered in Houston on Nov. 1.

“S— not easy fake smiling and s— tryna keep walking with my head up,” Offset captioned an onstage photo of Takeoff flashing the peace sign.

Shit not easy fake smiling and shit tryna keep walking with my head up pic.twitter.com/3GHleHUvpT

— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) December 21, 2022

Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball, was shot and killed while attending an afterparty at a Houston bowling alley with his uncle and fellow Migos member Quavo. He was 28.

Houston Police announced in early December that Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested and charged with murder, while another man, Cameron Joshua, 22, was arrested and charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Following Takeoff’s death, Offset and Quavo remained relatively tight-lipped, privately mourning their massive loss. But both rappers honored Takeoff during a three-hour memorial on Nov. 11 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.

Offset also posted a statement to his Instagram account on Nov. 15, addressing his loss through an open letter to his late cousin, whom he lovingly referred to as “Take.”

“Every time you would see me, you didn’t give me a dap you gave me a hug. I wish I could hug you one last time,” Offset wrote. “I know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven now. I hope you can see how much we love you and miss you. You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.”

Offset’s wife, Cardi B, has also spoken out about how difficult things have been since the tragedy occurred, saying in a since-deleted Twitter voice note that she feels “so hopeless trying to make my husband happy.”

“Trying to make him crack a smile, f—in’ seeing him randomly cry,” she said in late November. “See him trying to distract his mind completely, f—in’ 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 f—in’ playin’ around with y’all.”