James Corden says Takeoff’s murder is “devastating”.

The 44-year-old presenter paid tribute to the rapper by fondly recalling how he took part in one of his ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segments on his ‘The Late Late Show’ with his Migos bandmates, and revealed the singer nicknamed him ‘Big Drip’.

James told ‘Entertainment Tonight’ about Takeoff’s killing on Wednesday (02.11.22): “It’s devastating. My abiding memory of him was just that he was so kind, he was so laidback, he was funny. He would always call me ‘Big Drip’ if I saw him, which he knew I just loved.

“I never knew, until I heard the news of his passing, that the reason he was called Takeoff is cause often he would just record all of his verses in one take, and that was it. He was such an accomplished musician. What he did, he changed the needle on trap music.

“We really lost someone incredibly, incredibly special there, we really, really have.”

James also paid tribute to the rapper – killed aged 28 in the early hours of Tuesday – during that night’s episode of ‘The Late Late Show’.

He said: “My biggest feeling when I was around him was just how much he loved music. He lived for it.

“And it was that love of music that essentially willed Migos into existence.

“I got to spend some unforgettable moments with Takeoff over the past few years. He was an incredible guy, warm and generous.

“Our thoughts are with his family and all of his friends. We have lost someone incredibly special today.”

Migos appeared on ‘The Late Late Show’ multiples times and took part in a 2018 Carpool Karaoke sketch, which now has more than 60 million views on YouTube.

Newly uncovered footage obtained by TMZ has shown a man with a handgun standing feet from Takeoff moments before the rapper was killed in a hail of bullets.

The gun-wielding man is seen standing in a group with Takeoff, real name Kirshnik Khari Ball, and his uncle and Migos bandmate Quavo outside a bowling alley in Houston where the rapper was killed amid a heated argument.

He fires at least 10 times but it is not clear whether the bullet that killed Takeoff was fired by the man in the video, with police saying they are searching for two suspects.