The Whitney Houston Music Video Offset Appeared In As A Child

A member of the successful rap trio Migos, Kiari "Offset" Cephus is an icon in the world of hip-hop. According to "Walk It Talk It" video director Daps, he's also the "f***ing best dancer in the whole world," per Billboard.

Migos is also made up of Quavious "Quavo" Marshall and Kirsnick "Takeoff" Ball, who tragically died in November 2022. As reported by TMZ, Takeoff was shot at the age of 28. Following Takeoff's death, Offset paid a long tribute to his close friend and collaborator on Instagram. He wrote, in part, "The pain you have left me with is unbearable. My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can't find the words." He concluded his statement with the heart-wrenching words, "I love you forever. 4L and after."

Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo go way back. According to NBC, Quavo is Takeoff's uncle and Offset is a cousin. All three of them were raised by Quavo's mother, Edna Marshall, in Atlanta. The rappers started their artistic journeys young, experimenting with music before they formed Migos in 2008. In addition, one member of the group was a dancing prodigy. An avid mover at an early age, Offset was always destined for stardom. In fact, as a child, he appeared in a music video for one of the industry's biggest superstars.

In a 2018 profile by The New York Times, Offset's mother revealed that as a child, her son was featured in Whitney Houston's 2002 music video "Whatchulookinat." However, the nostalgia doesn't end there. Apparently, he also danced in an unnamed TLC video. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Offset shared a picture of him and the "I Have Nothing" singer filming "Whatchulookinat."

So, what is Offset actually doing in Houston's music video? As she sings, a row of boys stand behind her. Holding vintage cameras, they dance in suits and hats. Fans can catch the adorable Offset showing off his impressive moves and interacting with Houston!

Upon learning about Offset's music video appearance, fans took to Twitter to express their excitement. One user tweeted, "A whole young Offset was really pop locking in Whitney Houston's music video??? I am dead at how cute that is ffs." Another fan wrote, "Offset being in a Whitney Houston music video is iconic asf."

Offset is incredibly proud of his Whitney Houston feature (who wouldn't be?). In a 2021 appearance on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," the Migos member commented on the video, saying, "I been a star since a little kid, you know what I'm saying?" When James Corden played the clip, Offset reacted enthusiastically.

In a 2022 episode of "Hiking with Rappers" via Complex, Offset further elaborated on starring in the late singer's music video. He told host King Keraun that although he was young, he understood the magnitude of the opportunity. He explained, "I had just seen Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown." He added, "I was 9 years old and if you paid attention to the video, I got a lot of air time out of the kids." Offset also called Brown "down to earth." Houston was encouraging as well, as he noted that she was "giving us hugs and letting us know we're doing a good job." Offset clearly had a positive experience shooting "Whatchulookinat," with the music video kickstarting his path to stardom.