Migos’ Offset, Takeoff and Quavo’s Ups and Downs Through the Years

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Migos' Offset, Takeoff and Quavo's Ups and Downs Through the Years

Migos was formed as a rap group for more than a decade before Takeoff's untimely death in November 2022, and they went through plenty of ups and downs as both performers and family members. Formed in 2008 while they were in high school, Migos included Quavo (real name Quavious Keyate Marshall) and Offset (born Kiari Kendrell Cephus) as well as the late Takeoff (born Kirshnik Khari Ball). Quavo was Takeoff's uncle, and Offset is Quavo's cousin. When Quavo was entering his teen years, his mother, Edna Marshall (who is also Takeoff's grandmother), got sick. “She got this staph infection in her leg,” he told Rolling Stone in a 2018 cover story. “She was paying all the bills and paying for her medicine. And I watched that, and that really hurt me.” He'd already lost his father as a young child and seeing his mother work through pain to provide for him and his sisters made him determined to succeed. “It just got me focused,” he explained to the magazine. “I said, ‘I’m-a make it work.’ And ever since then it was like magic.” Around the same time, Offset's older brother was sentenced to 15 years in prison, driving him to look for an outlet for all his time and energy. He and Quavo soon started to work on music together, with Takeoff later joining them. After so many years together, they understood what they all brought to the table. “[Takeoff] is outspoken with the people he f--k with, he love, but he quiet to everyone else," Offset, who is married to Cardi B, explained to Rolling Stone. "He analyze a lot, that’s why I think his raps be so strong. Takeoff got some strong s--t. He’s just powerful.” As Offset explored other opportunities, including raising his five children, Quavo and Takeoff put out their first album as a duo in October 2022, titled Only Built for Infinity Links. Unfortunately, Takeoff's career was cut short when he died at age 28 in the early hours of November 1 in Houston. The Georgia native was at a bowling alley with Quavo when an altercation broke out and multiple people were shot. Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities. The rapper's rep confirmed the news of his death to the Associated Press. Scroll down for more of Migos' ups and downs through the years:

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2008

The group was officially formed while the members were in high school.

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2011

Migos released their first mixtape, titled Juug Season.

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2013

The group got their first taste of mainstream success when "Versace" hit the Billboard Hot 100.

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2014

Migos signed a deal with 300 Entertainment, distributed by Atlantic Records, and released their first full-length album Y.R.N. 2.

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2014

In 2014, Migos was involved in a feud with Chief Keef and Glory Boyz Entertainment. Quavo was allegedly robbed by Keef's crew and his chain was stolen, MTV reported at the time.

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2015

The band returned to independent status to increase their revenue.

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2015

Migos were playing at Georgia Southern University when the rap trio and 13 members of their crew were arrested for possession of marijuana and another controlled substance, possession of firearms within a school safety zone, possession of firearms during the commission of a crime and possession of firearms by convicted felons. Offset spent eight months in jail due to his prior issues with the law.

Quavo and Takeoff pleaded no contest and were fined. Offset spent eight months in jail due to his prior issues with the law. In exchange for all the other charges being dropped, Offset agreed to an Alford plea deal, pleading guilty to creating a riot in a penal institution without having to admit he committed the crime.

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2016

Offset was arrested mistakenly. Migos was pulled over for their vehicle's tinted windows, and the officers saw an outstanding warrant for Offset's arrest over an unpaid ticket. He stayed in jail overnight, but the rapper explained that he paid for the suspended license ticket several months earlier. The warrant should've been erased and he was refunded his bail money, TMZ reported at the time.

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2017

Migos' second album, Culture, was released in January. That month, Offset apologized for using the word "queers" in a song and claimed it wasn't a reference to the LGBTQ community.

"I have said before since these issues before that I got love for all people. ... To me that 'queer' I don’t mean someone who’s gay. I mean lame people who film you, post it and stalk you. Lingo that means strange or odd," he said in a statement at the time. "I'm sorry."

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2017

Migos was asked to leave a July 7 flight from Atlanta to Des Moines after they allegedly refused to properly stow a bag in an overhead storage bin and buckle their seatbelts.

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2018

Culture II was released and earned the band their first Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance (for "Bad and Boujee").

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August 2020

Takeoff was sued by an anonymous woman who claimed he raped her at a house party. The plaintiff was seeking damages for sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and gender violence, BuzzFeed reported at the time.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute the case due to insufficient evidence. Takeoff's lawyer called the allegations "patently and provably false."

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2021

Culture III was released.

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2022

Quavo and Takeoff released their album, Only Built for Infinity Links, on October 7.

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2022

Takeoff died in a shooting on November 1.

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February 2023

During the 2023 Grammys, Quavo gave an emotional performance in honor of his late nephew. The rapper even seemingly held Takeoff’s necklace up while on stage. While Offset was in attendance, he did not participate in the tribute.

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February 2023

Quavo released a song called "Greatness" in February 2023, continuing to pay tribute to his late nephew and bandmate. "Tryin' to move forward, but I don't got all the answers," he raps. "But I know I can't look backwards, that's dangerous / I had to go read the Bible and take a few pages."

Elsewhere in the song, Quavo says: "Tears rolling down my eyes / Can't tell you how many times I cried / Days ain't the same without you / I don't know if I'm the same without you."