• October 19, 1992
• Drill rapper Lil Durk got a big break in 2020 when he featured on Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later." The next year, he was everywhere, placing an amazing 41 songs in the Hot 100, which tied Taylor Swift for the most entries on that chart in 2021. Many of these songs were collaborations with Lil Baby.
• He's based in Chicago, where he started a label called Only The Family in 2010. Two years later he signed with Def Jam, but not much came of it. In 2018 he left the label and rebooted Only The Family, which he used to release his material.
• There is a Big Durk: his father (real name, Dontay Banks). Big Durk was in jail when Lil Durk was growing up, but stayed a part of his life and kept in touch through phone calls.
• When his fellow Chicago MC Kanye West bowed out of a headlining spot at the 2022 Rolling Loud festival in Miami, Durk brought him on stage during his set to perform.
• Durk stirred up a lot of trouble with his 2012 track "L's Anthem," a celebration of his gang where he takes (metaphorical) shots at rival gang members and rappers. Unfortunately, the violence turned real, and members of both sides were killed. Durk later ended up in beefs with rappers 6ix9ine and Young Boy Never Broke again, but by 2022 he was looking to end the feuds and move in a more positive direction. "I'm not chasing death no more," he told Rolling Stone. "I want our kids to grow up safe and sound."
• Lil Durk was arrested in October 2024 in connection to the August 2022 shooting of rapper Quando Rondo and the death of Rondo's cousin, Saviay'a "Lul Pab" Robinson. Prosecutors alleged Durk hired five associates from his Only the Family (OTF) collective to carry out the attack in retaliation for the 2020 killing of King Von, a close associate of Durk.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Live ForeverOasis

The Oasis song "Live Forever" was written in response to "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die" by Nirvana. "Kids don't need to hear that nonsense," said Noel Gallagher.

Lady MarmaladeLabelle

"Lady Marmalade" is the only song to hit #1 twice in both the UK and US.

Let's DanceDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Let's Dance" is about more than just dancing. It's about dishonesty, particularly when we mask our true feelings.

Do You Believe In Love?Huey Lewis & the News

The first Huey Lewis & the News hit, "Do You Believe In Love?," is a cover of a song Mutt Lange wrote three years earlier called "We Both Believe In Love."

Station to StationDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Station to Station" is over 10 minutes long. Bowie was doing a lot of drugs at the time and later said, "I have only flashes of making it."

RespectAretha Franklin

Props to Aretha Franklin: her song "Respect" introduced the term "propers" as a sign of proper respect.

Editor's Picks

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.