Lil Durk has been accused of threatening witnesses ahead of his murder-for-hire trial later this year.

The Chicago drill star was attempting to dismiss the case against him as he stands accused of being behind the murder of Quando Rondo’s cousin in 2022.

Prosecutors have claimed that Durk has threatened witnesses during his incarceration in a reply to the rapper’s bid to dismiss the case.

“[Lil Durk] is not on trial for his lyrics or his music; he is on trial because he directed, orchestrated, and financed the brazen murder plot at issue in this case,” U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli said.

Durk and his attorneys had argued that the case against him should be dismissed because prosecutors included lyrics as evidence against him even the song in question was recorded months before the attack on Rondo which killed his cousin.

A key part of the prosecution’s case and in obtaining the rapper’s arrest in the first place was Durk’s lyrics, specifically from the song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy”.

A judge later ruled that Durk’s lyrics could not be used as evidence during his upcoming trial.

Durk’s family had previously called out the government over their plans to use his lyrics against him during the trial.

In a statement on Instagram, the drill star’s family hit out at the actions of the prosecution.

They said: “The recent developments in Durk’s legal case have brought a harsh truth to light: the government presented false evidence to a grand jury to indict him. This isn’t justice. That’s a violation of the very system that’s supposed to protect all of us.”

The statement continues: “Durk has always used music to tell stories, to express pain to heal—and yet those same lyrics are now being used against him. We refuse to stay silent as Black artists continue to be criminalized for their creativity. Rap is art.”

The family also called on fans to show support for Durk while he remains behind bars ahead of his trial later this year: “As a family, we are asking the public, the fans, and the culture to stand with us. Stand for truth. Stand for fairness. Stand for The Voice.”

Durk currently remains held in custody ahead of yet another bond hearing next month.

Havoc recently sat down with Complex to reflect on his contributions to Kanye West’s landmark 2016 album The Life Of Pablo, which celebrates its tenth anniversary today, Friday, February 14. During the interview, he revisited his involvement in “Famous” featuring Rihanna and “Real Friends” with Ty Dolla $ign. In the middle of the discussion, however, the Mobb Deep icon also hinted that Ye could currently be putting together a joint album with Travis Scott.

Kanye reached out to Havoc for assistance with TLOP, and while they were in California, they revisited several older beats Havoc had previously sent over before zeroing in on “Famous.” The producer and rapper admitted he would not have approached the record the same way West did, but said the creative direction ended up inspiring him in his own work. He also applauded the Yeezy mogul for the way he pulled everything together. “He’s very selective,” he explained to the outlet. “When I was there, even though he had already chosen what was going to make the album, he still had me working on other records because you never know with him, he might come back to it five years later. Recently, I worked on something. I do not want to speak too much on it in case it never drops. But I will say, I think he is putting together a project with Travis Scott, and a few of my records have been selected so far.”

Kanye West & Travis Scott Collabs

Travis Scott has long been viewed as one of Kanye’s protégés, so the possibility of a full collaboration does not seem far fetched, even if plenty of fans remain skeptical. Hearing it from Havoc gives some supporters hope, though he made it clear that nothing is guaranteed and that people should not jump to conclusions. It is also possible that listeners are reading too much into his remarks.

The dynamic between Kanye West and Travis Scott appears to be in a better place now compared to the tension Ye seemed to express toward him earlier in 2025. Travis recently brought Kanye out during a show in Japan, signaling that any past issues may have been resolved.

The two have already built an extensive catalog together, including “Piss On Your Grave,” “Watch,” “Wash Us In The Blood,” “PABLO,” “Praise God,” and “Championships,” among others.

At the moment, both artists are focusing on their own separate releases rather than officially announcing a joint effort. Kanye West is preparing to drop his upcoming album BULLY in the coming weeks, while Travis Scott has been previewing fresh material of his own.

 
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