Rapper Lil Durk Faces Life in Prison for Murder for Hire After an Associate Wore a Wire for Federal Authorities

Lil Durk/Instagram

Chicago rapper Lil Durk was arrested for a murder for hire plot in Florida roughly a week after receiving the key to the city of Broadview, Illinois. According to multiple news outlets, the city's mayor, Katrina Thompson, rescinded the key from Durk following his arrest.

The rapper, whose legal name is Durk Devontay Banks, has been arrested for allegedly conspiring with five other associates (Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey, and Asa Houston) to murder his rival rapper Quando Rondo in Los Angeles in August 2022. Although the rapper survived the ambush, his 23-year-old cousin, Lul Pab, legally known as Saviay’a Robinson suffered fatal gunshot wounds at a Los Angeles gas station after their vehicle was attacked.

Lil Durk/Broward County Jail

The rift between Lil Durk and Quando Rondo allegedly precipitates from the 2020 murder of Durk's friend and fellow [On the Family] group member (rapper) King Von. King Von, also a Chicago native, was killed outside an Atlanta hookah lounge after a reported fight with Rondo. People speculate that a friend of Rondo, Lul Timm, shot and killed Von after the fight.

Court documents show that a member of OTF, known as Jam turned evidence against Durk after wearing a wire for authorities. The Express Tribune reports, "OTF member Jam, allegedly wore a hidden wire for several years to gather evidence for authorities. Jam, who was released from prison in 2022 after serving 12 years for attempted murder, reportedly provided information directly linking Banks to the murder-for-hire scheme against Rondo, born Tyquian Terrel Bowman." 

OTF Member (Jam)

In addition to the wire recordings, authorities reportedly have proof that OTF paid for round-trip flights for the gunmen who were involved in the Los Angeles murder. According to The Source, "FBI documents show that Durk (real name Durk Devontay Banks) attempted to “outmaneuver” federal agents by booking two separate one-way commercial flights to Switzerland and Dubai as well as a private chartered flight to Italy. U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the FBI about the international commercial flights and the FBI learned about the scheduled flight to Italy shortly before it was expected to take off. According to FBI documents, “it was a calculated move that he believed could bypass federal jurisdiction.” The rapper was ultimately arrested at Miami’s Opa-Locka Executive Airport an hour before he was set to board the flight to Italy."

The 32-year-old artist shared on social media that he'd converted to Islam in recent years. Durk was raised in Englewood, a dangerous sector of Chicago, which housed the infamous section of South King Drive called "O-Block." The Chicago entertainer went on to achieve more than most in his community by becoming a recording artist, Grammy Award winner, record label head, and philanthropist who showed generosity to Chicago.

Yet, legal woes are mounting against the Chicago Drill rapper. Durk was named in a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month regarding the shooting death of rival rapper and fellow Chicagoan FBG Duck, legally known as Carlton Weekly. FBG Duck was killed in August of 2020 outside of a Dolce & Gabbana store located at Chicago's Gold Coast. Duck's girlfriend and another person were also injured during the shooting. Duck's mother, LaSheena Weekly, and the other shooting victims filed the suit, alleging that Durk placed a $100,000 bounty on the head of her son. Six men were convicted of executing Weekly this year.

FBG Duck

The attorney representing Duck's mother, Roosevelt Allen, also blames Durk's record label in the lawsuit for encouraging and promoting violent artists. Allen stated, "They want authenticity, which has bred these types of individuals getting in the music business, carrying out their activities. And the record label companies are fueling it, financing it, developing brands for it."

The Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, was recently questioned about Durk's arrest. The media questioned Mayor Johnson about a $150,0000 campaign donation that Durk gave to the Mayor last year. The press asked the Mayor what he planned to do with the donated money and if he felt the funds were "tainted" now that Durk is arrested. The Mayor noted that Durk was passionate about contributing to Chicago youth becoming financially literate with his foundation, Neighborhood Heros. However, he said he doesn't operate in "feelings," "I operate in truth and justice," and likely would not make a decision about the money before the rapper was tried in court.

This story will be updated with more details.

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