Lil Durk is firing back in his ongoing federal legal battle, officially moving to dismiss a superseding indictment in the murder-for-hire case that’s kept him behind bars since late 2024.
The Chicago rapper, born Durk Derrick Banks, is accused of orchestrating the 2022 Los Angeles shooting that left Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson dead. Lul Pab, who was Quando Rondo’s cousin, was gunned down in an attack federal prosecutors say was retaliation for the 2020 killing of Durk’s close friend and rapper King Von.
But now, Durk’s legal team is calling out what they describe as a major flaw in the prosecution’s case, claiming that the government misled the grand jury by presenting a song as if it were recorded after the shooting when it was allegedly laid down months earlier.
At the center of the controversy is the track “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy.” Prosecutors pointed to lyrics from that record as proof Durk celebrated the murder and indirectly confessed. However, his defense argues the verse in question was recorded in January 2022, seven months before the August 2022 shooting in L.A.
Durk’s lawyers say prosecutors sourced their version of the song from YouTube, not from any official release by the artist. The YouTube version included edited-in news audio of Quando Rondo reacting to Lul Pab’s death, something Durk’s team insists was added after the fact without the rapper’s involvement.
“The issue over the timing of Mr. Banks’ recording of the lyrical verse in question is not one of frivolous or inconsequential value,” Durk’s attorneys wrote in the motion, filed on April 18, 2025. They also demand access to the full grand jury transcripts to review the evidence that led to the charges.
The superseding indictment accuses Durk of more than just lyrics; it claims he financed the murder, arranged travel and lodging for the alleged shooters, and provided material support to carry it out.
Durk was arrested in October 2024 in Florida while allegedly preparing to board a private jet. Authorities claim he was attempting to flee the country, which has led to him being held without bail in Los Angeles County.
He currently faces charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and weapons violations. If convicted, Lil Durk could spend the rest of his life in prison. His trial is scheduled to begin October 14, 2025.
The motion to dismiss marks a pivotal moment in a case that raises questions about using rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions. With artists like Young Thug also facing legal fire over lyrics, Durk’s defense could set a legal precedent in how courts view music as evidence.
