Music

Lil Durk Posts Religious Message as Murder-For-Hire Trial Heads to Closing Arguments

Closings are set for Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Lil Durk
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images)

Lil Durk has broken his public silence with a religious post to his Instagram Story, the same day both sides in his murder-for-hire trial rested their cases in Los Angeles.

Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, shared a post that said, "Allah Is The Greatest.” It is his first direct statement since the proceedings began.

Jurors are set to return Tuesday, Sept. 9, for closing arguments following the Labor Day weekend.

Durk faces charges of conspiracy, stalking resulting in death, and murder for hire. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege he placed a bounty on rapper Quando Rondo as retaliation for the 2020 killing of King Von.

The case centers on a shooting at a Beverly Center gas station in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2022, in which associates opened fire on Quando Rondo's vehicle. Quando Rondo survived; his cousin Saviay'a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was killed.

Three OTF members — Kasey "OTF Jam" Hester, OTF Flacka, and Kavon "OTF Vonnie" Grant — pleaded guilty to their roles in the attack and testified against Banks.

OTF Jam told the court, "It's Durk's fault. Durk put us in the situation."

The defense called nine witnesses on Sept. 3, including Durk's sound engineer, an Alamo Records SVP of Marketing, the mother of King Von's son, and OTF Jam's wife.

OTF Jam's wife, Lashawntay Hester, took the stand and pushed back on her husband's account, saying that she never heard anyone direct Jam to travel to California.

Defense attorney Marissa Goldberg argued Grant was the actual orchestrator of the attack, suggesting he calculated that he had "a big fish I can give them" when federal agents closed in.

Durk faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

Related Stories

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 7: Rapper Lil Durk performs during 2024 Dreamville Music Festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 7, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Music

OTF Jam Denies 'Hoping' That Lil Durk Gets Life Sentence in Murder-for-Hire Trial

The former friend of Lil Durk was questioned in a tense cross-examination by the rapper's lawyer, Brian Steel.

Split image. Left: Machine Gun Kelly in a red shirt. Right: Lil Durk in a patterned outfit, both smiling on stage.
Music

Machine Gun Kelly Calls Lil Durk His 'Bro for a Decade' After Showing Up to His Murder Trial

MGK made an unexpected appearance at Durk's federal murder-for-hire trial in downtown Los Angeles on Monday.

Alex Ocho10 days ago
STONE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA - AUGUST 2: Rapper 21 Savage attends 21 Savage presents 10th Annual Issa Back To School Drive at Wade Walker Family YMCA on August 2, 2026 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 25: Rapper Lil Baby attends Lil Baby & The Jones Project host 6th Annual Back To School Fest on July 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Lil Durk poses in the press room with the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance for "All My Life" during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024.
Music

Lil Durk Trial: Akademiks Alleges Kanye West and Drake Are Among Those Funding Rapper’s Defense

The hip-hop media personality claims the rappers are covering Durk's legal fees in his murder-for-hire trial.

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App