Music & Musicians

What happened to Chicago rapper Lil Durk? A look at his arrest and the charges he faces

The Chicago-based rapper had just performed at the city's United Center over the weekend for a Birthday Bash event

NBC Universal, Inc.

Lil Durk, real name DeVante Durk Banks, is in federal custody following an arrest by U.S. Marshals in Broward County, Florida, on charges linked to a potential murder-for-hire case.

Rapper Lil Durk has been taken into federal custody after being arrested overnight in Florida, authorities said.

The Chicago-based rapper had just performed at the city's United Center over the weekend for a Birthday Bash event.

Now, jail records show he was arrested by U.S. Marshals between late Thursday and early Friday.

So what happened?

Why was Lil Durk arrested?

The arrest of the rapper, who's real name is Devontay Durk Banks, was made in Broward County, Florida, for charges associated with a murder-for-hire plot.

According to the Broward County Sheriff's office, Banks was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals "and held at our facility."

"He has since been released into their custody," the sheriff's office said.

Banks' charges of murder for hire come as five members of the Chicago-based "Only the Family" crew or OTF, which Banks has associations with, were indicted as co-conspirators in a murder-for-hire plot in Los Angeles, California.

It wasn't immediately clear if Banks' arrest was connected to that case, however.

What to know about the OTF indictment

According to the indictment, the men allegedly put hit out on rapper Quando Rondo in retaliation for the shooting death of another Chicago rapper, King Von, who was part of OTF and collaborated with Lil Durk on music.

The grand jury charges OTF members Kavon London Grant, known as "Cuz" or "Vonnie," Deandre Dontrell Wilson, known as "DeDe," Asa Houston, known as "Boogie," and five unnamed conspirators, as well as Keith Jones, known as "Flacka," and David Brian Lindsey, known as "Browneyez," who are described as "members of other hangs in Chicago.

According to the indictment, on Nov. 6, 2020, an OTF member described only as "D.B." was in a "physical altercation with T.B. at a nightclub in Atlanta, Georgia. During the fight, an associate of T.B. pulled out a gun and shot D.B. multiple times, killing him." While authorities did not name D.B. in the indictment, rapper King Von, whose real name was Dayvon Bennett, was killed on that same date, NBC News reported at the time. Another man, 34-year-old Mark Blakely, was also killed in the shootout and four others were injured, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

After D.B.'s murder, someone described as "co-conspirator 1" used coded language to make clear that they would "pay a bounty or monetary reward, and/or make payment to anyone who took part in killing T.B. for his role in D.B.'s murder."

Then, on Aug. 18, 2022, upon learning that T.B. was staying at a Los Angeles hotel, Wilson, Jones, Lindsey, Houston, Grant and co-conspirator 2 traveled to California from Illinois to "track, stalk, and attempt to kill T.B. by gunfire — including with a fully automatic firearm."

This image shows a BMW and an Infiniti driven by the conspirators following T.B.'s black Escalade. (Federal Indictment)

The men tracked T.B.'s black Escalade to a gas station on Beverly Boulevard and fired multiple rounds into the SUV — resulting in the death of S.R., a passenger in T.B.'s vehicle, the documents said.

Images show defendants Jones and Lindsay, and coconspirator 2 firing their guns at T.B.'s black Escalade at a gas station in Los Angeles. (Federal Indictment)

The indictment for the five men is on charges of conspiracy and the use of interstate facilities to commit murder for hire resulting in death, use carry and discharge of firearms and machine-gun, possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, possession of a machine gun and criminal forfeiture. 

The documents said Wilson paid the bounty reward to the co-conspirators.

It’s not immediately clear if the men have retained attorneys.

Who is Lil Durk?

According to Billboard, Banks, who was born and raised in Chicago, got his start on YouTube and MySpace, with his debut studio album "Remember My Name" released in 2015, making it to No. 14 on the Billboard 200.

He has done collaborations with artists like Drake and J. Cole and has received multiple Grammy nominations, including one for best rap song and best melodic rap performance.

What else to know

Banks had previously faced charges in connection with an Atlanta shooting, but those charges were dropped in 2022.

In September, he celebrated his cleared record on social media.

"My background wiped and clean of all cases. I ain’t a felon anymore. Who would have thought? I want to thank everyone who helped push my vision forward. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," Banks wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Banks, 32, is also being sued by the mother of slain fellow Chicago rapper FBG Duck, who claims Banks and his record label profited off the 2020 shooting death of Duck.

Exit mobile version