Takeoff, of Migos, in Los Angeles on July 10, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Mob Ties CEO J Prince Jr. has come under fire on Twitter for walking past Takeoff’s lifeless body in a video. Takeoff, the third member of the hit hip-hop trio Migos (along with Quavo and Offset), was shot and killed outside a Houston bowling alley on Nov. 1. Takeoff, 28, and Quavo were attending a birthday party for J Prince Jr.’s brother Jas Prince.
There was video footage of the aftermath of the shooting when people, including Quavo, were calling for help for Takeoff, who had just been shot. In the video, some say J Prince Jr. can be seen walking past without offering assistance.
The video has gone viral, and so has the backlash against J Pricne Jr., who is a controversial heavyweight in Houston hip-hop circles.
Streetwear brand Mob Ties, which stands for Movement of Bosses Together In Elevated Structure, was founded by J Prince Jr., who comes from a hip-hop heritage. His father, James Prince, started the legendary Rap-A-Lot Records in the 1980s.
James Prince is also known for helping get Drake signed to Lil Wayne’s label Young Money Entertainment in 2009. Jas Prince discovered Drake on MySpace in 2006. Since then, James Prince has acted as a mentor to Drake.
Mob Ties is known for providing security for hip hop notables when they come into Houston, but many of Twitter claim it some of the artists feel pressured into dealing with Mob Ties, Sportskeeda reported.
“J Prince Jr got some explaining to do. These “Mob Ties” dudes been extorting these rappers for too long. Everybody in Houston know what up,” Follow Your Dreams tweeted.
Another Twitter user, Heightz, weighed in, “So Takeoff and Quavo were in Houston for Jas Prince Bday and one of them ended up dead while they were under J Prince’s protection and in his City? J Prince betta shake sumtin or all them MOBB TIES he been talking all these years was.”
It seems that J Prince Jr. is often not far when things go awry in Houston. When Duke The Jeweler was murdered, he was seen with J Prince Jr. right before being robbed and fatally shot following a Boosie concert in Houston on September 8, 2022.
Duke the Jeweler, who was based in Chicago, was reportedly robbed after winning $100,000 in a dice game with J Prince Jr. He was ambushed and fatally shot while walking to his car. He was also wearing what has been reported as a $1 million worth of his own jewelry to the concert, EUR reported.
Social media sleuths have began speculating about who was responsible for Takeoff’s murder. Many folks on Twitter have questions about J. Prince Jr. and Mob Ties member Lil Cam. (Joshua Isaiah Cameron).
There are rumors that Lil Cam was killed in Houston days after the death of Takeoff, but this has not been confirmed, and police authorities have not named him as a suspect. Lil Cam was part of a gang that committed a series of ATM robberies from July to October 2017. He was arrested with other suspects in 2018.
In the meantime, James Prince Sr. (aka J Prince) released a statement about the death of Takeoff on his Instagram account.
“The Prince family would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of a beautiful soul @yrntakeoff. To Houstonians and families around the world, this one breaks my heart because Takeoff was a brother, a son, a role model, and a God loving human being. Grief is the price of love; a bill people from across the globe are paying right now as we mourn this loss. I’ve been knowing Takeoff, Quavo and Offset for many years and there has been nothing but mutual love for one another and that ain’t going to ever change where we are concerned. This shouldn’t have happened. This shouldn’t have ever happened in our city. This shouldn’t have been recorded, and this damn sure shouldn’t be circulating across social media for family, friends and fans to see. As I write this, I’m angry about the lack of love and respect we have for one another as a race which keeps bringing us back to the same tragic place of black on black killing.”
He called out the rumor mill, adding, “They say satan is the author of confusion and right now there are a lot of lies and false narratives being spread by media whores. I consider myself a man that’s quick to listen and slow to speak, therefore to whomever is responsible for putting that bullet in my little nephews head, let it be known that you can’t hide behind me, beside me or anywhere near me because I don’t tolerate dumb shit. I speak these words not knowing whose bullet is responsible for his death.”
He noted the tragedy of it all by stating, “With that being said, the root of this tragedy is foolish and has to be owned by the fool. I will sum this up by saying a gun in the hands of any human that close his eyes to shoot and doesn’t have the proper skills of operating that gun is dangerous, and the results usually end with innocent people who had nothing to do with the altercation being shot or killed. To the homies in Georgia and around the world that got love for Takeoff like we do know this: let’s change the narrative in our culture by putting a end to every argument or disagreement resulting in violence; it’s okay to live and let live to see another day. Rest In Peace Takeoff.”
Takeoff, of Migos, arrives at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles on July 10, 2019. A representative confirms that rapper Takeoff is dead after a shooting outside of a Houston bowling alley early Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Takeoff, whose real name was Kirsnick Khari Ball, was part of Migos along with Quavo and Offset. He was 28. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
