Migos rapper Quavo has joined the fight against gun violence after witnessing his nephew Takeoff’s murder in 2022, The Associated Press reports.
The Grammy-nominated artist spoke on a panel during the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20, 2023, alongside Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Rep. Lucy McBath, the mother of senseless gun violence victim Jordan Davis, and Community Justice Action Fund Executive Director Greg Jackson. The conversation centered on how gun violence can be combated with the help of powerful advocacy and community intervention strategies.
“I feel like your calling comes at the least expected times. You don’t think nothing is going to happen,” Quavo said.
“I need to step up to the plate and hit a home run. I have to do something about it so it won’t happen to the masses — especially in our culture. I don’t want this to happen to the next person. I want to knock down these percentages.”
After the panel, Quavo, whose birth name is Quavious Keyate Marshall, along with Takeoff’s mother, Titania Davenport, met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who gave the rapper and his sister props for taking a stand.
Jackson, who himself was a victim of gun violence, commended the Atlanta native for sitting down with Congress for change, adding that Quavo’s voice could make a difference. “His voice and commitment around community violence intervention could provide more resources for those who are most at risk,” Jackson said.
“With gun violence, in order to change it, we have to change the behavior just as aggressively as we focus on safety and ownership and access. … But we can’t change behavior if our communities don’t have the resources they need and our youth is being overlooked and forgotten.”
Since Takeoff’s murder in Houston sent shock waves through the music world, Quavo has taken steps in the right direction, hoping the tragedies stop. According to ABC News, in November 2022, Quavo and his family started the Rocket Foundation in honor of the fellow Migos member to prevent similar incidents from forming dark clouds over Black and brown communities.
“I’m a survivor. I was
there, so at the same time, it could have been both of us,” he said. “So I look at this as me being alive, I have to do this job and make sure everybody’s aware that losing my nephew, you could be in the same position.”Takeoff’s death only added to the list of hip-hop stars we’ve lost in the last four years, including Young Dolph, PnB Rock, Pop Smoke, and Nipsey Hussle.
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