Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens Speaks On Rapper Takeoff’s Death

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens recently took to his Instagram account to speak on Takeoff’s death and ask people to stop the senseless violence.

He described the Migos as amazing contributors to culture and amazing contributors to Atlanta.

Mayor Dickens’ captioned his post:

I wanted to take a moment to share a few of my thoughts on the senseless killing of Atlanta’s own Takeoff.

His loss hurts.

I’ve met him. I’ve shared space with the whole crew. I wanted to talk to them before talking about it.

Losing him hurts.

Too many of our young people are senselessly losing their lives before they reach their full potential. I don’t know all of the circumstances around Takeoff’s death, but I do know that we will lose at least two people who were a part of our world. Takeoff and the person(s) who shot him.

Losing another young person with so much more life to live is devastating. It hurts just as much to see his trauma spread frivolously without regard to his loved ones and those impacted by folks who moments before were fans, friends, and admirers.

I want so much more for our young people, for their families, and for their futures. I pray that our community takes heed to these losses, these people we won’t get back, and individually or collectively work to turn the tide on senseless violence. As your mayor, neighbor, and friend I’m committed to peace. Praying that you join me.

RIP Takeoff

Mayor Dickens said he grew up on hip hop music, and he still listens to hip hop, and he doesn’t believe hip hop = violence.

He believes guns + mad = bad outcomes.

Mayor Dickens said Takeoff was an innocent bystander who lost his life due to a senseless act of violence.

And in this case, Takeoff is a bystander.

This was unintended. He was not the target. This is an innocent bystander’s life is lost.

That’s devastating, I mean that’s just despicable, and so these soulless people, senseless folks, that would shoot up crowds indiscriminately…

We’ve had some happen in Atlanta, we’ve had people shoot up apartment complexes, and near death situations from people that weren’t even involved.

We got to stop that. That’s what we gotta stop.

So I’m asking us to focus on stopping the violence.

I’m asking us in, the essence of a young man like Takeoff, only 28 years old, a humble, good, family dude… You know somebody, like I said is introspective, you know, he’s versatile, and gives good lyrics, but he’s also thoughtful.

We need to live in that peace, go forward living in that light, and so I’m asking us to stop the violence.

I’m asking us to make sure that we look at ourselves as people that can advocate for peace.

And bring down the violence all around us.

I do not think that hip hop equals violence.

What I do think is that hip hop has a voice that can change the world. 

So I want our Atlanta community to spread like wildfire to everybody across the nation.

In honor of Takeoff, and his humility, and his love, and his passion, and his love for his family… I want us to do something wonderful here, and in his honor, live with peace, and spread love to everybody.

Watch Mayor Andre Dickens original Instagram post below:

Shouts out to Mayor Dickens for committing to supporting everything around Takeoff’s funeral and the family’s future.

RIP Takeoff.