Gucci Maneis remembering his late friendTakeoffwith an emotional new tribute song.
The “Both” rapper, 42, shared the song “Letter to Takeoff” on Tuesday, two weeks after the Migos rapper, 28, was shot and killed outside a Houston bowling alley on Nov. 1.
The hip-hop artists were longtime friends and collaborators, and Gucci Mane appeared on the recent single “Us vs. Them” with Takeoff and Quavo, Takeoff’s uncle and Migos bandmate.
The song finds Gucci Mane lamenting his loss while also remembering the many other young rappers who have been lost to gun violence, likePnB RockandXXXTentacion.
“Just left another funeral, I shed a tear/I’m still in disbelief, I can’t believe it’s real,” he raps. “How the f— we gon' lose Takeoff? Damn, he didn’t deserve it/We don’t supposed to question God, but damn, Takeoff was perfect.”
In the lyrics, Gucci Mane says he’s been through all of the different stages of grief since losing Takeoff, and also gives shoutouts to PnB Rock, 30, who was shot and killed in Los Angeles in September, XXXTentacion, 20, who was fatally shot in Florida in 2018, andYoung Dolph, 36, who was gunned down in Memphis last year. Shawty Lo, who died in a car accident in 2016, also gets a shoutout.
Takeoff and Gucci Mane.Kevin Winter/Getty
Elsewhere in the track, Gucci Mane offers a shoulder to lean on to Quavo, who was present at the time of his death. The rapper also references the emotional refuge he’s taken in “pints of lean,” but says the drug left him hospitalized.
Gucci (real name Radric Davis) references Takeoff’sNov. 11 funeral, which took place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and says he considered him a “little brother.” He also recalls the last words Takeoff ever said to him, which were “I love you.”
Gucci Mane also released an accompanying music video shot at a cemetery, which features old photos and videos of Takeoff and other rappers lost to gun violence.
Takeoff, real name Kirsnick Khari Ball, was shot earlier this month outside the front door of a Houston bowling alley after a private party following an altercation.
source: people.com
