Songfacts®:

• On the early morning of November 1, 2022, Quavo, his bandmate and nephew Takeoff, and about 39 other people gathered outside of 810 Billiards and Bowling in Houston, Texas, following the conclusion of a private party held at the bowling alley. An altercation broke out nearby over a game of dice and at least two guns were discharged. Tragically, a stray bullet struck and killed Takeoff. According to reports, Quavo did not sustain any injuries during the shooting, but he fainted afterward and had to be transported to a vehicle.
  
  Here, Quavo pays tribute to his fallen nephew.
• Quavo and Takeoff were close, more like brothers than uncle and nephew (there was only a three-year age gap). "Without You" is a tear-jerking track where Quavo laments how much he misses Takeoff and reminisces on the highs and lows of their career together in Migos.
  
  On the hook, Quavo finds comfort in the thought that he will be reunited with his nephew in heaven.
  
  Quavo ends the song by repeating Takeoff's name in a long sigh before concluding, "Take, I'm sorry."
• Less than a month before the fateful shooting, Quavo and Takeoff had dropped Only Built for Infinity Links, their debut album as a duo. They released it under the name of Unc & Phew. Quavo alludes here to continuing onward in tribute to his nephew's death.
  
  I miss just how you smile at me
  Unc and Phew until infinity
• Houston rapper and singer Vory sings the intro, in which he anguishes over Takeoff's passing and wonders if he will ever be able to stop grieving.
• Zaytoven, Mike Dean, Elyas and Eugene created the somber beat.
• The black-and-white lyric video shows Quavo sitting in a chair, blunt burning and somber, as he listens to the song.
• Quavo and the Atlanta choir Maverick City Music performed "Without You" at the Grammy Awards in 2023 as part of the In Memoriam segment, where they paid tribute to Takeoff.