meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Consider This from NPR

How Hip-hop Is A Mirror That Reflects The Problem Of Gun Violence In America

Consider This from NPR

NPR

News, Daily News, News Commentary, Society & Culture

4.26.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Takeoff, from the Atlanta trio known as Migos, was shot and killed at the beginning of November outside a bowling alley in Houston.

The issue of violence, specifically gun violence, is often associated with rap culture. But those who follow the industry closely, and know its history, say the culture isn't the culprit.

We speak to A.D. Carson, a professor of hip-hop at the University of Virginia, about how death and violence have impacted the rap and hip-hop industry, and how the music is just a mirror reflecting back the larger issue of gun violence that plagues all of America.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Fans gathered on Friday for a memorial service in Atlanta for the rapper known as Takeoff.

0:07.3

He was one-third of the Atlanta trio known as Migos.

0:10.5

Takeoff was shot and killed on November 1st outside of Bowling, Allie in Houston.

0:15.2

He was just 28 years old.

0:17.0

Now, he may not have been the most visible member of Migos in comparison to Cuevo or Offset,

0:22.5

but Takeoff, born Kershnik Kariball, was seen as the glue that kept the North Atlanta

0:28.7

family music trio together.

0:30.6

If you know me, notice that my first wave, certified everyone, they got a pretty resume.

0:35.7

Talk crazy, I pull up underlay, R, B, the late dog, I had to regulate.

0:42.4

Thanks for having me, Dad.

0:45.4

Migos was a real family.

0:47.4

Takeoff and Offset were cousins, and Cuevo was Takeoff's uncle.

0:51.2

Cuevo told me that Takeoff got his rap name from the fact that he could record his rhymes

0:57.5

even back then as a child in one take and didn't have to re-record them often.

1:04.5

Joule Wicker is an Atlanta-based entertainment and culture reporter, and she says that

1:17.0

Migos was a rap group with a distinctive sound.

1:20.4

They're known for this kind of triplet flow.

1:23.4

That they popularized, and if you talk to a lot of music critics, they'll tell you

1:34.9

rap didn't sound the same after the Migos, right?

1:37.5

Migos had split up recently with Cuevo and Takeoff producing music on their own, and

1:42.3

before his death, Takeoff released an album with Cuevo titled Only Built for Infinity

1:47.8

Links.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.