Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Derrick Banks, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter.
He was born on October 19, 1992, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on the city’s South Side.
Lil Durk began his music career in 2011 with the release of his debut mixtape, I’m a Hitta and gained popularity with his subsequent mixtapes, Life Ain’t No Joke and Signed to the Streets.
His music is known for its emotional depth and introspective lyrics, often exploring themes of poverty, violence and trauma.
In addition to his music career, Lil Durk has also been involved in various philanthropic efforts, including supporting anti-violence initiatives in his hometown of Chicago.
He has also been vocal about his struggles with mental health and has used his platform to raise awareness about the importance of seeking help for mental health issues.
Lil Durk early life
As mentioned earlier, Lil Durk was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
The rapper was raised by his mother, who worked multiple jobs to support him and his siblings.
As a child, Lil Durk was exposed to violence and poverty, which had a significant impact on his life.
He attended Paul Robeson High School but dropped out in his senior year to pursue a career in music.
Lil Durk started rapping at a young age and was influenced by Chicago rappers such as Chief Keef and Lil Reese.
His early life was marked by several run-ins with the law, and was arrested multiple times for offenses such as gun possession, drug possession and aggravated assault.
However, Lil Durk used his experiences to fuel his music and often rapped about his struggles growing up in Chicago.
Despite the challenges he faced, he remained focused on his music career and eventually signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2018.
He has since become one of the most successful rappers in the industry, with multiple chart-topping albums and collaborations with other popular artists.
Involvement in violent gangs
Lil Durkhas been involved in violent gangs in the past.
In 2011, he was sentenced to three months in jail for a gun charge, according to a report on Rolling Stone.
He has also been arrested several other times for charges related to drugs and weapons.
Further, Lil Durk has been involved in several feuds with other Chicago rappers, both in music and on social media.
These feuds have sometimes turned violent, with shootings and other incidents.
Lil Durk is a member of the Only the Family (OTF) gang, which has been linked to several violent incidents in Chicago.
However, Lil Durk has stated that he is no longer involved in gang activity and is committed to helping end gang violence.
Elsewhere, he has also been involved in several legal cases related to gang activity.
In 2021, he was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and other crimes as part of a federal RICO case against the OTF gang.
It is important to note that Lil Durk has also spoken out against violence and has used his platform to advocate for change in his community.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he emphasized his commitment to helping end gang violence and stated that he is no longer including names of rival gang members in his music.
Is Lil Durk dead?
At the time of publishing this article, there are no credible claims that Lil Durk is dead.
The rapper is the lead member and founder of the Only the Family (OTF) collective, and has faced unimaginable grief on his way to the top including losing his brother D-Thang and protege King Von to tragedy.
However, there are no reports or news articles that suggest that Lil Durk himself has passed away.
However, he has been involved in several feuds with other rappers, including Chief Keef, 6IXN9NE and YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
Lil Durk He has also lost several friends and family members to gun violence, however, there is no evidence to suggest that Lil Durk has been a victim of gun violence himself.
In November 2020, Lil Durk’s affiliate King Von was murdered in Atlanta.
This tragic event has been covered extensively in the media, including in a YouTube video titled, The Dark Story Behind Lil Durk and King Von’s Case.
In conclusion, there are no credible claims that Lil Durk is dead.
While he has faced significant personal tragedy and has been involved in several feuds with other rappers, there is no evidence to suggest that he has been a victim of gun violence or any other cause of death.
Lil Durk’s rap career
Lil Durk began rapping around the late 2000s, founding OTF with rappers Chief Wuk and Lil Varney.
In 2012, as Chief Keef was earning unprecedented buzz and controversy with drill songs like 300 and Don’t Like, Lil Durk was heating up too.
His first local hit, L’s Anthem, broke through at hubs of Chicago’s Black-nightlife scene, like Adrianna’s, when Lil Durk was 19.
He garnered a cult following with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), leading to a record deal with Def Jam Recordings.
The label would release his debut studio albums, Remember My Name (2015) and Lil Durk 2X (2016), before dropping the artist in 2018.
After being dropped by Def Jam, Lil Durk continued to release music independently and eventually signed with Alamo Records and Interscope Records.
Lil Durk’s music tells important stories about life in Chicago and the challenges that come with it.
His fame grew as he grappled with various legal troubles, and he released multiple albums that charted in the higher regions of the Billboard 200, with Love Songs 4 the Streets 2 (2019) and The Voice (2020) both reaching the Top Five.
On August 14, 2020, Lil Durk was featured on Canadian rapper Drake’s single, Laugh Now Cry Later.
It debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Banks’ first top 40 and top 10 entry, and his highest-charting song.
Lil Durk’s most recent album, 7220, was released on March 11, 2022, consisting of 17 tracks, including guest appearances from Future, Gunna, Summer Walker and Morgan Wallen.
After appearing on the cover of XXL, Lil Durk appeared in an interview in which he teased the release of his eighth studio album, a sequel to his sixth studio album, The Voice (2020).
