Quavo was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens at an event Tuesday declaring “Takeoff Day” in the city, in honor of the rapper’s nephew and bandmate in Migos, who was shot to death in 2022 during an altercation in which police said he was an “innocent bystander.”
The event, which featured panel discussions about gun-violence prevention and a talk between Harris and Quavo, was held on what would have been Takeoff’s 30 th birthday. It was the inaugural Rocket Foundation Summit, named after Quavo’s foundation and held at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
In the months after Takeoff’s death, Quavo began discussions about gun violence, particularly among the Black population, with community leaders, activists and Mayor Dickens as well as White House officials and the vice president. The two first met and issued a statement on the issue last summer.
“We just want to say thank y’all for coming here and being part of such a special day for me and my family,” Quavo said. “I know there’s people in this room that share the same experience as survivor. It’s challenging. This experience, this type of trauma — I just hope I’m inspiring everyone in this room. Our communities, my family, your family, no family should have to suffer from this. We just want to create these resources at the Rocket Foundation to prevent it before it’s happening.”
Mayor Dickens said, “I’m honored to be here for what is the first of I hope to be a many of the Rocket Foundation Summits. In fact, it’s my hope that this summit eventually becomes a movement — a movement that has had its roots in tragedy, but its branches will be in community led chances for change. It is sad but fitting that the summit launches on what would have been Takeoff’s 30th birthday.”
Moments later, Quavo and Takeoff’s mother, Titania Davenport, joined the mayor and members of the Atlanta City Council for the formal declaration of “Takeoff Day.”
An emotional Davenport — lovingly known as “Mama Rocket” — was next to speak, starting by saying she was “incredibly proud.”
She continued, “I miss my son everyday and wish he was still here on this earth,” before telling the audience that her family was doing God’s work in Takeoff’s name. Earlier this year, Quavo and the foundation launched the Sparks Grant program, which supports community organizations working to fight violence. The program will award $100,000 in grants to Atlanta-focused organizations.
Prior to the “Takeoff Day” commemoration, Quavo and Vice President Harris held a fireside chat in the venue’s auditorium. It was moderated by Gregory Jackson Jr., Special Assistant to the President and Deputy of The Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
“I’m a victim — [but] I got second chance,” Quavo said. “When I saw [Takeoff] laying there, I felt like I saw me laying there. So when I’m doing something like the Rocket Foundation, I just wanted to uplift his legacy and keep his name alive. That’s why we are here.”
Speaking to Quavo on the panel, Vice President Harris said, “To translate that pain and grief into something that is about creating strength and empowerment in the community — including our young — is pretty extraordinary. You have chosen to use your celebrity and the gifts you have as an artist to talk about and actually work on with action. You are an incredible leader — a national leader on this.”
“It was beautiful,” Jackson told Variety after the fireside chat. “It’s beautiful to see Quavo and the whole family come together. The Rocket Foundation invested in 11 organizations on the community level, which is huge. The vice president came and followed through on her commitment of almost a year ago when she sat down with the family and said, ‘I got your back and I’m here to support you however I can.’ When Quavo and family asked her to come, she came — and recognized the challenges and the trauma, but most importantly the impact they’re having.”
On Monday at the White House, Jackson was also part of major discussion about gun violence awareness and how it affects the community. He was joined by multiple celebrities, athletes, music industry insiders, and community activists such as Erica Ford who helped spearhead the event, Philadelphia Eagle Thomas Booker, actor rappers Bun B, Styles P and Havoc of Mobb Deep, actor Shameik Moore and Tupac Shakur’s sister, Setiywa Shakur.
Source Agencies
