Offset Reveals Takeoff as the ‘Glue’ That Held Migos Together Amid Egos and Industry Pressures

By Alex Rivera, Music Correspondent

Atlanta, GA – In a raw and emotional interview, Offset, one-third of the groundbreaking hip-hop trio Migos, opened up about the profound loss of his bandmate and family member Takeoff, describing him as the irreplaceable “glue” that kept the group united through fame, fortune, and inevitable conflicts. The revelation comes amid ongoing speculation about the future of Migos following Takeoff’s tragic death in 2022, shedding light on the internal dynamics that propelled the group to stardom while ultimately contributing to its fractures.

Migos, formed in 2008 by Offset (born Kiari Kendrell Cephus), Quavo (Quavious Keyate Marshall), and Takeoff (Kirsnick Khari Ball), revolutionized trap music with their signature triplet flow and hits like “Bad and Boujee” and “Stir Fry.” The group, hailing from Lawrenceville, Georgia, were more than collaborators—they were family. Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle, and Offset is their cousin, a bond forged in shared hardships and dreams of escaping poverty. Their debut mixtape, Juug Season in 2011, marked the beginning of a meteoric rise, culminating in multiple Grammy nominations and billions of streams. But success brought its own challenges, as Offset detailed in his recent conversation with actress and podcaster Keke Palmer on her show Baby, This Is Keke Palmer.

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“It can never be the same without my boy ’cause he was the glue the whole time,” Offset said, his voice heavy with emotion. “He the glue. He the glue to everything… He just kept us as one… with him missing, it’s like the glue missing.” According to Offset, the real adhesive wasn’t their chart-topping talent or the millions pouring in from tours and endorsements. It was Takeoff’s quiet humility and ability to diffuse tensions in a group rife with egos. “In a group, you got egos. We grown men. We got millions of dollars and egos. But homie would humble that at all times,” Offset explained. He recounted how Takeoff would jump into group texts to call out pettiness: “He might go group text, why y’all lame? What y’all doing? What we doing?” This light-hearted yet pointed approach kept the trio grounded, reminding them of their roots.

The interview, which aired in October 2025, also delved into the external forces that strained their unity. The music industry, notorious for pitting artists against each other, played a role in sowing division. “Different people whisper different opinions like… ‘You could be this…’ ‘You could be that…’ ‘You’re the one…’ ‘Without you, the others are nothing…’” Offset shared. But Takeoff, ever the peacemaker, would redirect the focus: “We doing this for our moms… and God put us in this position.” This mantra, emphasizing family and faith over fame, was Takeoff’s way of realigning the group during turbulent times.

Takeoff’s death on November 1, 2022, at age 28, sent shockwaves through the hip-hop community. He was fatally shot during an altercation at a private party in Houston, an incident that authorities described as stemming from a dice game gone wrong. The loss not only devastated fans but also exacerbated existing rifts within Migos. Prior to his passing, tensions had already surfaced, particularly around business dealings with their label, Quality Control Music. In 2022, Offset sued the label over rights to his solo work, amid rumors of a fallout with Quavo. The duo released a collaborative album, Only Built for Infinity Links, as Unc & Phew (a nod to their uncle-nephew relationship), seemingly sidelining Offset.

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Reflecting on this, Offset expressed a lingering guilt, wondering if his decision to pursue solo projects contributed to the circumstances surrounding Takeoff’s death. “I felt like some responsibility was on me because, what if I didn’t go solo? What if I thugged it out with the business not being right? We wouldn’t have been in that place,” he admitted. His solo album Set It Off (2023) and subsequent tours marked a new chapter, but the shadow of Migos loomed large. Offset emphasized that while he and Quavo have reconciled personally—evident in their joint tribute performance at the 2023 BET Awards—the group’s dynamic is forever altered.

As for a potential reunion, Offset left the door slightly ajar but tempered expectations. “I love Quavo, I think it’s just better for us to be on our own different things. We could come back to something, maybe in a couple years from now,” he said. Fans have clamored for new Migos music, but Offset’s words underscore the emotional void left by Takeoff. “The bond they built will always remain a part of him,” as he put it, but without the glue, the pieces don’t fit the same.

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Migos’ legacy endures through their influence on modern rap, from ad-libs to fashion. Tracks like “Versace” (remixed by Drake in 2013) catapulted them into the mainstream, inspiring a generation of artists. Yet, Offset’s candid reflection highlights the human cost of stardom: egos clashing, whispers dividing, and loss irreparable. Takeoff, often the quietest member, emerges in this narrative as the unsung hero—the one who humbled the room and kept the family intact.

In the wake of this interview, social media buzzed with tributes, with fans echoing Offset’s sentiments. One X post from XXL Magazine captured the essence: “Offset opens up about Takeoff being the glue of Migos, the guilt he’s carried since his passing and where things stand with Quavo now.” As hip-hop mourns and moves forward, Takeoff’s role as the group’s anchor reminds us that behind the bling and beats, it’s the personal bonds that truly hold it all together.