Are Quavo and Takeoff Related? Yes: Uncle and Nephew
Quavo and Takeoff are related: Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle, and Quavo’s mother raised them under one roof. Their 2022 duo name, Unc & Phew, is the relationship spelled out. The common mix-up is Offset, the third Migos member, who is often called their cousin but is not related to either. The details below each carry a source.
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The three Migos at a glance
| Birth name | Born | How they connect | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quavo | Quavious Keyate Marshall | April 2, 1991, Athens, Georgia | Uncle of Takeoff |
| Takeoff | Kirsnick Khari Ball | June 18, 1994, Lawrenceville, Georgia | Nephew of Quavo (died November 1, 2022) |
| Offset | Kiari Kendrell Cephus | December 14, 1991 | No relation; went to school with Quavo |
Sources: Wikipedia: Quavo, Wikipedia: Takeoff, Wikipedia: Offset, Wikipedia: Migos. Some credits spell Takeoff’s first name Kirshnik.
Uncle and nephew, three years apart
The age gap is small for an uncle: Quavo is about three years older than Takeoff. Quavo’s mother brought both of them up in the same house, and in 2008 in Lawrenceville, Georgia they started the group that became Migos, at first calling it Polo Club (Wikipedia: Quavo, Wikipedia: Migos).
Where Offset fits in
For years Offset was described as a cousin. He later set the record straight: he is not related to either of them and knew Quavo as a classmate (Wikipedia: Migos).
What Unc & Phew means, and what they released
“Unc” stands for uncle and “Phew” for nephew. Quavo and Takeoff adopted the name in May 2022 with “Hotel Lobby”, at a time when people were speculating that Migos had split (Wikipedia: Unc & Phew).
| Release | Format | Date |
|---|---|---|
| “Hotel Lobby” | First single | May 20, 2022 |
| “Us vs. Them” with Gucci Mane | Single | July 2022 |
| “Big Stunna” with Birdman | Single | August 2022 |
| “Nothing Changed” | Single | September 2022 |
| Only Built for Infinity Links | Their only album, with no Offset | October 7, 2022 |
The album’s name plays on Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and on the family tie between the two. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 7 (Wikipedia).
Watch Quavo and Takeoff perform together in the original COLORS session.by COLORS · View on YouTube
Third-party clips, linked to their original posts.
How Takeoff died
On November 1, 2022, Takeoff was shot and killed outside a bowling alley in Houston. According to police, he was not thought to be the person the shooter meant to hit (Wikipedia).
Migos since 2022
- June 25, 2023: at the BET Awards, Quavo and Offset shared a stage for the first time since the split, in a tribute to Takeoff (Wikipedia: Migos).
- October 5, 2023: talking to Hot 97, Offset said Migos was officially over (Wikipedia: Migos).
- May 5, 2026: the Migos Instagram account announced that Quavo and Offset had brought the group back, with a last Migos album promised soon (Wikipedia: Migos).
Why their names are back in 2026
In June 2022 the duo played “Hotel Lobby” on A COLORS SHOW, standing in an orange booth around one hanging mic (COLORS). By September 2026 people were using AI to drop other pairs into that booth, a meme also known as Migos AI or the AI rap duo trend, and on September 23 Quavo reposted the original session (Complex). The full story of the track is in what song the Hotel Lobby trend uses.
A typical version begins with two photos: a video model places both people in the booth and copies the Unc & Phew choreography. Some keep the original track, while others replace it with an AI rap about the pair, which makes the clip about them instead of about Quavo and Takeoff. Hotel Lobby Video (hotel-lobby-video.com) offers both and is an independent tool, not affiliated with either artist.
FAQ
Is Quavo Takeoff’s dad?
No. Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle, roughly three years older, and the two were raised together by Quavo’s mother.
Is Offset Quavo’s cousin?
No. The cousin story is widespread, but Offset has said he is not related to Quavo or Takeoff; he and Quavo were classmates.
How old was Takeoff compared to Quavo?
Takeoff was born June 18, 1994 and Quavo April 2, 1991, so Quavo is about three years older than his nephew.
What did Quavo and Takeoff release without Offset?
As Unc & Phew they put out “Hotel Lobby” plus three more singles in 2022, then the album Only Built for Infinity Links on October 7, 2022. Offset does not appear on any of it.
How did Quavo react to the Hotel Lobby AI trend?
According to Complex, on September 23, 2026 he reposted the untouched COLORS performance, noting they were viral again and calling it the original.
Why are they called Unc & Phew?
“Unc” means uncle (Quavo) and “Phew” means nephew (Takeoff). It was their duo name in 2022.
References
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Hotel Lobby Video is an independent product with no ties to Quavo, Takeoff, Migos, Quality Control Music, Motown or COLORS.