Were Quavo and Takeoff Related? The Family Story of Migos
Yes, Quavo and Takeoff were related: Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle, about three years older, and the two were raised together by Quavo’s mother. In 2022 they leaned into it and recorded as Unc & Phew, short for uncle and nephew. Offset, the third member of Migos, is not related to either of them.
Below: the family story, the duo’s one album, Takeoff’s death, what became of Migos and how their Hotel Lobby performance became an AI trend, with a source for each fact.
Updated
Who is who: birth names and family ties
| Quavo | Takeoff | Offset | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Quavious Keyate Marshall | Kirsnick Khari Ball | Kiari Kendrell Cephus |
| Born | April 2, 1991, Athens, Georgia | June 18, 1994, Lawrenceville, Georgia | December 14, 1991, Lawrenceville, Georgia |
| How related | Uncle | Nephew; died November 1, 2022 | Not related; a classmate |
| In Unc & Phew | Unc | Phew | No |
Uncle and nephew, raised under one roof
Wikipedia says Quavo and Takeoff were raised together by Quavo’s mother in Gwinnett County, northeast of Atlanta. The nephew, the youngest member of Migos, began rapping with his uncle, and in 2008 they formed a group in Lawrenceville with Offset, first called Polo Club and then Migos, after Three Amigos (Wikipedia).
Offset: close friend, not related
For years Offset, the third Migo, was introduced as their cousin. Wikipedia now says he is not related to either and met Quavo at school (Wikipedia), while a 2023 Variety interview cited on his page has them growing up calling each other cousins anyway. He is not on “Hotel Lobby” or the Unc & Phew album.
Unc & Phew, the 2022 duo
Unc & Phew, uncle and nephew: Quavo is Unc, Takeoff is Phew. Quavo and Takeoff first used the name in May 2022 for “Hotel Lobby”, while rumors said the trio had split (Wikipedia); the story of that single is in our Hotel Lobby song guide. Their releases:
- “Hotel Lobby”, May 20, 2022
- “Us vs. Them” with Gucci Mane, July 29, 2022
- “Big Stunna” with Birdman, August 26, 2022
- “Nothing Changed”, September 30, 2022
- Only Built for Infinity Links, the album, October 7, 2022
The Unc & Phew album Only Built for Infinity Links nods to Raekwon’s 1995 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and to the bond between uncle and nephew; the cover borrows from Watch the Throne and OutKast’s Stankonia. It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 (Wikipedia).
A death in Houston, November 2022
On November 1, 2022, 25 days after the Unc & Phew album came out, Takeoff, the Phew of Unc & Phew, was shot and killed outside a bowling alley in Houston. He was 28 (Wikipedia). Quavo released the tribute song “Without You” on January 4, 2023.
Migos after Takeoff: tribute, split, reunion
- June 25, 2023: the two surviving members perform “Hotel Lobby” together at the BET Awards as a tribute.
- October 5, 2023: Offset tells Hot 97 the group has disbanded, calling his late bandmate “the glue”.
- May 5, 2026: the pair announce a reunion (Wikipedia).
Their COLORS clip and the 2026 Hotel Lobby AI wave
In June 2022 Quavo and Takeoff, as Unc & Phew, performed their first single on A COLORS SHOW, at one mic hanging in an orange room. In September 2026 people began using AI to swap other pairs into that clip, and the Hotel Lobby AI trend took off; on September 23 Quavo reposted the original (Complex). The dates are on the Hotel Lobby trend page.
Join in with your own duo, not a copy of Unc & Phew. Migos AI turns two photos into two performers at that mic, and on a Seedance model an AI rap duo can rap an original verse about you both. Other pairs worth knowing are in our best rap duos of all time list.
FAQ
People call them cousins. Is that right?
No. Quavo and Takeoff were uncle and nephew; the cousin story attaches to Offset, and it is wrong too.
Where does Offset fit in the family?
No. He has said he isn’t related to either; he was a classmate and a member of Migos with them.
Why the name Unc & Phew?
Unc & Phew, uncle and nephew: Quavo is Unc and Takeoff is Phew, the name of their 2022 duo.
Which album did Quavo and Takeoff make together?
Their Unc & Phew album, Only Built for Infinity Links, released on October 7, 2022 on Quality Control and Motown, without Offset.
What age was Takeoff at his death?
28. He was born on June 18, 1994.
Sources
Read next
Hotel Lobby Song by Quavo and Takeoff: What It Means
The story of the 2022 single: who made it, what it is about, the COLORS performance, the charts, Takeoff’s death and the 2026 AI trend, with sources and no lyrics.
Best Rap Duos of All Time: Sixteen Pairs Who Shaped Hip-Hop
Sixteen of the best rap duos of all time, from New York DJ and MC teams to Southern pairs and 2010s brothers, each with a hometown, a record to start with and a source.
RapVideo is an independent tool, not affiliated with Quavo, Takeoff, Migos, Quality Control Music, Motown or COLORS.