Fans Serenade Quavo With Love After Moving Tribute To Takeoff At Grammys
By Fiyin Olowokandi on February 7, 2023 at 2:00 AM EST
The 2023 Grammys' In Memoriam segment will go down in history thanks to Quavo!
Per tradition, the annual award show honored late musical stars who died in the past year. This year's list included the deceased Migos member Takeoff, Quavo's nephew and precious confidant.
In honor of the late rapper, his uncle performed a mesmerizing yet poignant song titled "Without You." The 31-year-old performed live at the Grammys, leaving many tissue boxes empty.
Quavo's Emotional Tribute To Takeoff Left Fans In Tears
The 65th Grammy Awards In Memoriam segment featured various tear-jerking performances from different artists on Sunday night. However, the event's highlight was Quavo's final goodbye to his late nephew.
For his heartwarming presentation to Takeoff, the "Hotel Lobby" rapper donned an all-black attire consisting of a suit jacket, a round neck, and pants. He brightened the gloomy look with a silver chain and covered half his face with a black mask.
The Georgia native delivered his tribute while sitting on a stool beside an empty seat, presumably to represent his deceased bandmate. In front of the singer was a microphone stand draped with one of Takeoff’s diamond-encrusted necklaces.
Behind Quavo were members of the Maverick City Music choir, who stood in front of the projected memories of the Migos members and images of the late artist. At the start of the performance, the choir stayed silent as the 31-year-old sang the beautiful lyrics of "Without You," noting how his days were not the same without Takeoff.
As the songs intensified, the "WORKIN ME" rapper ditched his stool to continue his performance. Following his cue, members of the Maverick City Music choir incorporated Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa's hit song "See You Again" into the music.
This unexpected remix sent chills down the spines of viewers' as both songs featured a powerful message of grief. Quavo ended his spectacular performance by raising Takeoff’s chain from the microphone stand and flashing it to the audience.
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Even with half his face covered, the heartbroken rapper could barely hide his pain. However, he did not cave and completed his act without tears. On the other hand, fans were reduced to a slobbering mess by his touching tribute.
Following the In Memoriam segment, the hashtags #Quavo #Takeoff #Grammys began trending on Twitter. Thousands shared clips of their favorite moments from the rapper's performance while praising him for his passionate delivery.
"I’m Crying! That was a beautiful tribute. Quavo was very strong to do that tribute," a female fan bawled on Twitter. This seemed to be a general feeling as another fan wrote, "I CAN'T HANDLE THIS WITH QUAVO!!!"
A third fan noted that they could not stop their waterworks after watching the rapper hold his nephew's necklace. "QUAVO HOLDING TAKEOFF CHAIN I'M CRYING," the social media user confessed.
"Quavo wearing Takeoff's necklace and having it hanging for everyone to see made me tear up. The tribute to him was beautiful. Rest in peace, Takeoff," another (commenter sweetly penned.
As more fans expressed their love for the late Migos rapper, a few people appreciated Quavo's resilience. One impressed fan wrote," Quavo is stronger than me because I would've been up there snot crying," while another person noted that the rapper's pain was evident on his face.
Quavo Released 'Without You' Two Months After His Nephew's Death
Takeoff, whose birth name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, passed away at the age of 28. He was fatally shot in Houston on November 1, 2022, a tragic incident that occurred in the presence of his beloved uncle.
Two months after his death, Quavo released "Without You," a sentimental song that captured his grief. The 31-year-old shared the music video teaser on his Instagram page before sharing the full clip on YouTube.
The footage featured a black-and-white theme with the heartbroken uncle in a continuous shot. The "Go Off" rapper smoked a blunt in a studio while rocking his chair to the melancholy track.
I CANT HANDLE THIS WITH QUAVO!!! #GRAMMYs 🥺🥺 pic.twitter.com/rHlOgQ6VHJ
— Janay Grant🧚🏾♀️ (@JanayGrant) February 6, 2023
As the song played, the lyrics flashed across the screen. In it, Quavo captured his love for Takeoff, a bond the artist noted was more profound than their blood ties. Additionally, the 31-year-old wished he had a time machine so he could relive his best moments with the deceased rapper.