Lil Durk Faces Attempted Murder Charges Linked to Rival Rapper

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago rapper Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, is seeking to have attempted murder charges against him dismissed in connection to the shooting of Quando Rondo‘s cousin, a case that stems from alleged ties to the death of fellow rapper King Von.

Lawyers for Durk filed a motion arguing that prosecutors misled the grand jury by claiming he boasted about the attack in a song. They contend that the disputed song was recorded seven months prior to the attempted murder and that Durk has no ties to a modified version uploaded to YouTube.

The charges relate to a violent feud involving Banks, who is identified as the leader of a Chicago-based rap group known as Only the Family. A federal criminal complaint indicates that Banks and his associates engaged in violent acts, including murder and assault, under his direction.

According to the complaint, Banks allegedly placed a monetary bounty on an individual involved in the feud. It states that on August 19, 2022, members of Only the Family utilized two vehicles to track and ambush Rondo at a gas station in Los Angeles, which ended in the fatal shooting of his cousin.

Durk is one of five individuals indicted in this case on charges including murder, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire leading to death. The complaint outlines the scope of criminal activities as part of an ongoing investigation into gang-related violence surrounding the rap community.

The legal proceedings are set against a backdrop of increasing scrutiny of gang activities within the music industry, drawing attention to the interconnections between the artists and the violence associated with their rivalries.