Thousands of fans, musicians and relatives of the shot US rapper Takeoff said goodbye to the singer at a funeral service in Atlanta.
Atlanta – Thousands of fans, musicians and relatives of the dead man US-Rappers Takeoff († 28) said goodbye to the singer at a funeral service in Atlanta (US state of Georgia).
A sign announces the memorial service for slain rapper Takeoff at State Farm Arena. He was shot dead in the Texas city of Houston on November 1st. © Sudhin Thanawala/AP/dpa
“Today we honor Kirsnick Khari Ball,” wrote the operator of the large event hall State Farm Arena on Friday (local time) on Twitter.
There, among other things, musicians like Drake (36), Justin Bieber (28), Chloe Bailey (24) and Yolanda Adams (61) paid tribute with performances or speeches, US media reported.
The approximately three-hour ceremony began with gospel music, then rapper Drake (36) paid tribute to the dead musician in a poem on the stage decorated with white roses and tearfully recalled numerous joint concerts on a tour in 2018.
Bieber, accompanied only by a piano, sang his piece “Ghost”, as it was called. Mayor Andre Dickens also posthumously awarded the rapper the Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Officially, the media were not allowed to attend the funeral service.
The 28-year-old Takeoff, real name Kirsnick Khari Ball, was shot dead on November 1 in Houston, Texas. According to investigators, the fatal incident happened following a private party at a bowling alley. Shots were fired during an argument.
The rapper was probably hit by accident. The investigations are ongoing. So far no one has been arrested.