Durk Derrick Banks also known as Lil Durk is an American rapper born on Oct 19, 1992. He got famous in his hometown with his mixtape series called Signed to the Streets which he released between 2013 and 2014. Because of his growing popularity, he got signed by Def Jam Recordings who released his first official album called “Remember My Name” in 2015. After that, he released another album called Lil Durk 2X in 2016. But in 2018 he and Def Jam went separate ways.
After leaving Def Jam Durk released a mixtape called Just Cause Y’all Waited on his own in March 2018. Then in July of that year, he signed with Alamo Records. In April 2020 he made his debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as the main artist with his song “Viral Moment.” He had more hits that year with songs like “3 Headed Goat” “Backdoor” and “The Voice.” He also featured on songs by famous artists like Drake and Pooh Shiesty. At the end of 2020, he released his sixth album The Voice.
The next year he teamed up with another rapper Lil Baby for an album called The Voice of the Heroes which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Then in 2022 his album 7220 also hit number one. His eighth album Almost Healed came out in 2023 and did well, especially the song “All My Life” featuring J. Cole which got nominated for and won a Grammy Award.
In 2010, Lil Durk started a collective and record label called Only the Family (OTF) in Chicago where he’s the main member. Sadly one of the members King Von got killed.
| Full Name | Lil Durk |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1992 |
| Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois |
| Occupation | Rapper, Singer, Songwriter |
| Height | 5′ 7″ |
| Spouse | India Royale |
| Children | 6 |
| Net Worth | $8 million |
Lil Durk’s Early Life and Education
Durk Derrick Banks was born on October 19, 1992, in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago Illinois. His childhood wasn’t easy – his dad was in jail when he was just a baby and sometimes they didn’t even have enough food at home.
As he got older Durk started using social media like Myspace and YouTube. He liked the attention he got online and thought about becoming a rapper.
Things changed when he became a dad at 19. He left school to join a gang called the Black Disciples. But that decision led to trouble with the law. In October 2011 he got arrested for having a gun with the serial number scratched off. Eventually, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and didn’t serve any time in jail.
Lil Durk Career
The Rise of Durk with ‘Lamron Wasted’ and ‘L’s Anthem Remix
In 2010, Durk put out his version of a popular song called “Wasted” by Gucci Mane & Plies. He called it “Lamron Wasted”. That same year he also dropped a track called “L’s Bitch” with Lil Reese. Durk had hoped to sign with labels owned by Chief Keef and French Montana but those plans didn’t work out. However, he got good feedback on his songs “Sneak Dissin'” and “I’ma Hitta” which made him think about rapping as a full-time job. On October 19, 2012, he released his third mixtape called “Life Ain’t No Joke”. By September 22, 2015, it had been downloaded over 216000 times. Then in December 2012, Durk put out a track called “L’s Anthem” which he later remixed with French Montana.
From Mixtapes to Mainstream Success
After Durk’s songs “L’s Anthem” and “Dis Ain’t What U Want” became popular in 2013 he decided to partner up with his crew Only the Family and Def Jam Recordings. This meant they would all work together on his music.
Finally, after a few delays, Durk’s fourth mixtape Signed to the Streets came out on October 14, 2013, but you could only get it on DatPiff. It had some songs with Lil Reese and was produced by Paris Bueller and Young Chop. Durk made eight music videos to go along with the mixtape to help promote it. Rolling Stone even said it was the eighth-best mixtape of 2013!
Durk didn’t stop there. He told XXL in an interview on October 22, 2013, that he was busy working on his first album with Def Jam. And to top it off he was selected to be part of the 2014 XXL Freshmen Class.
On July 7, 2014, Durk dropped his fifth mixtape Signed to the Streets 2.
My Name to Lil Durk 2X
On March 25, 2015, Lil Durk announced the name of his first official album Remember My Name, and said it would come out on May 12. He also dropped the first song from it “Like Me” featuring Jeremih. But then on April 20, 2015, he said the release date had to be pushed back to June 2.
Finally, on June 2, 2015, Remember My Name was released as planned. It did pretty well reaching number fourteen on the Billboard 200 selling 24000 copies in the first week. Later that year Durk put out his sixth mixtape 300 Days 300 Nights on December 15, 2015. The big single from it was “My Beyoncé” featuring Dej Loaf which came out on November 20, 2015, and went gold in 2017.
Durk’s second album Lil Durk 2X came out on July 22, 2016. He had already released the first single “She Just Wanna” featuring Ty Dolla $ign in May. Other singles from the album were “Money Walk” featuring Yo Gotti and “True.” It didn’t do as well as Remember My Name only reaching number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200.
Then in November of the same year, Durk dropped his seventh mixtape They Forgot. It had a bunch of guests on it like Lil Reese, Meek Mill Mozzy, and more. The single “Baller” was a big hit from it. And on December 7, 2016, Durk’s single “Like Me” from Remember My Name got certified gold by the RIAA.
Mixtapes, Albums, and Billboard Hits
In 2017, Lil Durk put out a bunch of mixtapes: Love Songs for the Streets in February Supa Vultures with Lil Reese in August Signed to the Streets 2.5 in October and Bloodas with Tee Grizzley in December.
On March 29, 2018, Durk said his twelfth mixtape would drop the next day at midnight. It was his first mixtape to be sold digitally called Just Cause Y’all Waited. At the same time, he said he was done with his contract with Def Jam Records. The next day Durk now a free agent released Just Cause Y’all Waited only on Apple Music and iTunes. Later on, it was available on other platforms too. This mixtape became Durk’s first non-album project to chart on Billboard hitting number fifty-seven on the Billboard 200 twenty-eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and twenty-two on the Rap Albums chart.
Durk also talked about a project he’s doing with producer DY from 808 Mafia called Durkio Krazy but it hasn’t come out yet. On May 3 2019 Durk joined King Von for a remix of “Crazy Story” called “Crazy Story 2.0” which later ended up on the album Grandson Vol. 1. The song reached number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100.
By July 27, 2018, Lil Durk said he signed with Alamo Records and Interscope Records and dropped his third studio album Signed to the Streets 3 on November 9 2018 under Alamo/Interscope. It features a bunch of other artists like Young Dolph, Gunna, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Future, Kevin Gates, Lil Baby, Lil Skies, TK Kravitz, and Ty Dolla Sign.
His fourth studio album Love Songs 4 the Streets 2 came out on August 2, 2019. It’s like a follow-up to his 2017 mixtape Love Songs 4 the Streets and has guests like 21 Savage, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Key Glock, King Von, Meek Mill, and Nicki Minaj. This album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 in the United States.
Billboard Success and Collaborations
Lil Durk dropped his fifth album Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 on May 8, 2020. It featured “3 Headed Goat” his second highest-charting song with Polo G and Lil Baby. The album hit number five on the Billboard 200. Later on June 26, 2020, he released a deluxe edition with seven extra tracks pushing it up to number two on the Billboard 200.
He collaborated with King Von on the single “All These Niggas” released on August 5, 2020. Despite not being able to appear in the video due to legal issues it gained 24 million views in just two months on YouTube. The song debuted at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lil Durk’s feature on Drake‘s “Laugh Now Cry Later” released on August 14, 2020 hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 marking his highest-charting song.
On August 28, 2020, Lil Durk teased his upcoming project “The Voice” which became the title track for his sixth studio album released on December 24, 2020. This album a tribute to his late friend King Von featured tracks like “Stay Down” with 6lack and Young Thug.
In an unexpected move on December 17, 2021, Lil Durk collaborated with country singer Morgan Wallen on the hit single “Broadway Girls” which turned out to be a success.
Durk made guest appearances on Kanye West’s album Donda and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy in 2021. He dropped his single “Ahhh Ha” on February 22, 2022 followed by his seventh studio album 7220 on March 11.
Unfortunately on July 30, 2022, Lil Durk suffered injuries during a performance at the Lollapalooza festival. As a result, he announced a break from performing and recording to recover.
On November 14, 2022, Durk featured on Roddy Ricch’s single “Twin” which topped the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and reached number 35 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart later appearing on Ricch’s mixtape Feed Tha Streets III.
From ‘The Voice 2.0’ to ‘Almost Healed’
Lil Durk recently talked about his new album hinting that it’s all about growth and moving up to the next level. He mentioned how his music is evolving but also how he’s growing as a person getting involved in charity work and even meeting with the mayor. Originally he said his album would be called “The Voice 2.0” but later changed it to “Almost Healed”. It dropped on May 26 and features some big names like Alicia Keys, J. Cole, and Future. The lead single “All My Life” featuring J. Cole did well on the charts. There’s also “Pelle Coat” and a collab with Alicia Keys called “Therapy Session”. The album itself peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.
Durk isn’t slowing down either. He’s already dropped a single called “F*ck U Thought” as part of the deluxe edition of “Almost Healed”. And there’s another single titled “Smurk Carter” which is part of his fifth compilation album “Nightmares in the Trenches” released on November 17, 2023. This album features artists from his label Only the Family and has a bunch of guest appearances.
In another cool collab, Lil Durk teamed up with David Guetta and Ayra Starr on a song called “Big FU” blending house music with Afrobeats vibes. So even though “Almost Healed” just dropped it looks like Durk’s already got more music in the pipeline with new albums and singles on the way.
Grammy Win, New Album, and Hit Singles
Lil Durk has had a fantastic start to 2024. He first made waves on January 12 by appearing on 21 Savage’s song “Dangerous” from the album “American Dream.”
Then on February 4, Lil Durk hit a major milestone in his career. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards he won his first Grammy after three previous nominations. He took home the award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his song “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. This track is the lead single from his eighth studio album “Almost Healed.”
In late January, Durk created even more buzz by announcing his next studio album. He responded to a Kanye West post revealing that his upcoming project would be titled “Love Songs 4 the Streets 3.” This album will be a sequel to his 2017 commercial mixtape “Love Songs 4 the Streets” and his 2019 album “Love Songs 4 the Streets 2.”
Finally, on February 23, Durk dropped the lead single for his new album. The song called “Old Days” is a reflective track that takes listeners back in time. He also released an official music video for the song on the same day adding to the excitement surrounding his new project.
Stay tuned for more from Lil Durk as he continues to make headlines and share his musical journey.
What Is Lil Durk’s Net Worth?
Lil Durk’s Net Worth is estimated to be $8 Million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Lil Durk’s Personal Life
Family Man and Survivor of Tragedy
Lil Durk is a follower of Islam and only eats fish not other types of meat. He has six children and has been engaged to his girlfriend India Royale since 2020.
Unfortunately, Durk has experienced a lot of tragedy in his life. His cousin OTF Nunu also known as Nuski was shot and killed in 2014. Then in 2015, his friend and manager Uchenna “OTF Chino Dolla” Agina was also killed. Later in 2020, his close associate King Von was killed in Atlanta.
In 2021, Durk’s brother Dontay “DThang” Banks Jr was shot and killed outside a nightclub in Chicago.
Durk and his girlfriend India were involved in a home invasion on July 11, 2021. They exchanged gunfire with the suspects but thankfully no one was hurt and the suspects fled.
In July 2023, Durk was hospitalized because he was extremely dehydrated and exhausted.
Legal Troubles, Arrests, and Exonerations
In late 2011, Lil Durk got arrested because he had a weapon with him. He got out on bail but was later sentenced to 3 months in jail. Then on June 5, 2013, he was arrested again for throwing a loaded gun into his car when the police came near him in Chicago. He was charged with using a gun illegally since he had a criminal record. His bail was set at $100000. His lawyer said they had nine people who saw him do nothing wrong and one person admitted the gun was theirs. He was released from jail on July 18, 2013.
In August 2016, Durk was found innocent of breaking his probation when he got arrested for having a gun. The judge dropped the charges.
In May 2019, Lil Durk and King Von got arrested for a shooting that happened on February 5 that same year in Atlanta. The prosecutors said they robbed and shot a man outside a drive-in for a Jeep Cherokee and $30000. After spending weeks in jail Durk and Von got released on bail $250000 for Durk and $300000 for Von. Then in October 2022, the charges against Durk were dropped.
Controversies
Feuds and Reconciliations
Lil Durk was caught up in a big fight between Chief Keef and Lil JoJo. It started when Durk released a song dissing JoJo’s friends. Then JoJo fired back with his diss track calling out Keef Lil Reese and Durk. But the feud ended tragically when JoJo was killed.
Later Durk and Keef had problems because of their record labels. Durk even dissed Keef in a song saying he was disrespectful for choosing other friends over him. This led to a lot of back-and-forth diss tracks between them.
Durk also had beef with King L The Game and Tyga over remixes of songs. They all traded insults online. Durk even bragged about having a thing with Game’s ex which made things worse. But eventually, Durk patched things up with Game and Tyga.
When Durk was younger he went to school with Famous Dex but they lost touch after dropping out. They finally reunited at the 2016 BET Awards and Durk said they were still cool.
YoungBoy and Durk’s Feud Sparks Music Diss Tracks
Lil Durk got caught up in a big fight between two rappers King Von and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. They started dissing each other on social media and in their songs. King Von even made fun of YoungBoy in some videos saying he’s not as tough as he claims in his music.
Then on November 6, 2020, King Von got shot and killed after a fight with someone linked to YoungBoy. After that, YoungBoy dissed King Von and some other rappers from Chicago in a song called “Bring the Hook.”
This made Durk angry so he released a song called “Ahhh Ha” with some hidden disses aimed at YoungBoy. He even hinted that YoungBoy’s ex-girlfriend had been with King Von.
YoungBoy didn’t take this lying down. He released a song called “I Hate YoungBoy” where he dissed Durk Durk’s fiancée and a bunch of other people.
At one point it seemed like YoungBoy and Durk had made up but then YoungBoy dissed them again on Twitter. He even announced a new mixtape coming out around the same time as Durk’s album.
