Jake Paul has called on young people to settle their differences in the boxing ring rather than with guns.
This comes in the aftermath of rapper Takeoff, who was part of the rap group Migos, being shot dead, aged 28, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
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Jake Paul – Instagram
Police in Texas say that Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnik Khari Ball, was killed outside a bowling alley in Houston where he was playing dice with his uncle and bandmate Quavo.
After the shooting, Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene, while Quavo is reportedly unharmed, although two other people were shot and taken to hospital.
The band Migos, which broke up earlier this year, also includes a third member in Offset, and they are best known for songs such as ‘Bad and Boujee’ and ‘Walk it talk it’.
Social media star turned boxer, Jake Paul, who has many younger followers across his various channels, reacted to the news on Twitter, telling his 4.4 million followers: “Senseless killings need to stop. Need to unify. RIP TAKEOFF.”
Paul, 25, then followed up with a message for his young fans, saying: “To all the youth… put down the guns and pick up some boxing gloves to settle your differences.
“Violence is not the answer.”
Fellow boxer Chris Eubank Jr also posted about the 28-year-old rapper.
“I remember Takeoff being a very down to earth, cool dude,” he wrote alongside a picture of the two of them.
“Cant believe I’m having to say this again about another young black star being killed for no reason, something really has to change in the industry, it’s sickening how easy and often people are dying. RIP Takeoff.”
Born in Georgia, in 1994, Takeoff began rapping with Quavo and Offset, his uncle and cousin, respectively, in 2008 under the collective name Polo Club. In 2011, the trio released Juug Season, their debut mixtape as Migos.