NEWS
Lil Durk and his legal team are looking to get his murder-for-hire case dismissed, claiming that prosecutors misled the jury which indicted him about the facts.
The Chicago rapper is accused of being behind the 2022 attempted murder of Quando Rondo by placing a bounty on his rap rival’s head in revenge for the death of his friend and collaborator King Von.
According to Durk’s attorneys, prosecutors’ claim that the rapper details the alleged attack on Babyface Ray‘s song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy” is wrong and that it was written months before the shooting took place.
The government’s misrepresentation in the Superseding Indictment, whether knowing or reckless, undermines the integrity of the grand jury’s true bill against Mr. Banks,” they argue in a new filing. “The Court should dismiss the Superseding Indictment against him as a result.”
In a separate filing asking for Durk to be released from jail ahead of trial, his lawyers claim that prosecutors have “attempted to hold Mr. Banks [Lil Durk] responsible for video clips that YouTubers and Instagram users have edited, produced, and posted to social media, but with whom Mr. Banks has no affiliation.”
The motion specifically mentions a fan-made video which “showing defendant’s [Lil Durk’s] rival [Quando Rondo] screaming, ‘No, no’ that was placed over these lyrics [from ‘Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy’],” which prosecutors then “speculated that perhaps [the song] could be a reference to some other uncharged murder.”
His legal team goes on to say: “It is unfair, misleading, and just flat-out wrong for the government to suggest that Mr. Banks is responsible for these video/audio edits or that they evidence his purported commercialization of a murder that he supposedly ordered.”
A judge has yet to rule on either motion.
Lil Durk has been behind bars since his arrest in October and has already been denied bail once, despite his attorneys proposing a bond package totaling around $3 million in cash and real estate.
Prosecutors had argued that the Grammy-winner had a pattern of “criminal behavior and interference,” which the judge sided with. It was also alleged that Durk had not exactly been following the rules at Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles.
“Despite clear instructions to not engage in three-way calls, defendant repeatedly abused the phone system at MDC to engage in such conduct,” a legal brief read in December.
Durk’s trial is currently scheduled to begin on October 14, 2025, after being pushed back nearly a year.
The “complex” nature of the case was cited among the reasons for the delay, including “approximately 230GB of digital evidence” that prosecutors have to go through, “such as audio/video recordings and surveillance footage, and approximately 20,000 pages of reports concerning murder and other violent acts, photographs, witness statements, and medical documents.”
Durk has maintained his innocence and claimed that prosecutors have “no real evidence” linking him to the attempted murder of Quando Rondo, which resulted in the death of his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson.
NEWS
The multi-hyphenate entertainer has scored five new certifications, including a platinum plaque for “Issues/Hold On,” which has sold over one million equivalent units in the U.S. The Kanye West-produced track is lifted from her 2018 album, K.T.S.E., which has been crowned gold for selling over 500,000 equivalent units.
Taylor’s third LP, The Album, has also reached gold status, tallying her second project to become RIAA certified. The King Combs-assisted “How You Want It,” a single from The Album, has been certified platinum.
Last, but not least, Taylor’s “Do Not Disturb” featuring Chris Brown is now gold. The steamy jam appears on her 2014 debut album, VII.
Taylor took to social media to celebrate her new RIAA updates. “Father God I thank you and I praise you in the name of Jesus. Thank You for showing patience with me, your kindness, grace & mercy every day. Your mercies never cease,” she wrote in a caption for her photo of her with her new plaques.
She continued, “Father God, please continue to instruct and teach me as I continue my faith walk. Thank you for keeping my head high to keep my crown from falling. I love you. Thank you for reminding me the wait is not punishment, it was preparation. Thank you to everyone involved with helping me bring these albums and songs to life. I am filled with much gratitude! WE PLATINUM & GOLD YALL.”
In other news, Taylor just released her new single “Long Time.” It’s the first offering from her upcoming album Escape Room, which will be accompanied by a short film. Taylor directed and produced the visual under her production company, The Aunties. It co-stars LaKeith Stanfield and Aaron Pierre, who appear in the video for “Long Time” as well.
Further, Taylor joined Ciara on her “Ecstasy (Remix)” alongside Normani. “When Ci hit me about jumping on this remix, it was an automatic yes,” Taylor said. “To be a part of this moment with two queens I love so much! Not only do I get to call Ciara and Normani my friends I get to call them my sisters! That’s black girl magic. We bringing the sensual, the sisterhood, and the soul. Let’s go!”
Taylor stars in Tyler Perry’s new drama Straw, now streaming on Netflix, alongside Taraji P. Henson and Sherri Shepherd.
