Lil Durk's Father Reveals Family's Reaction To Not Guilty Verdict

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Lil Durk Father Family Reaction Not Guilty Verdict
May 2, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago rapper Lil Durk throws out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Lil Durk's dad Dontay Banks Sr., also known as Big Durk or by his Islamic name Abdul Haqq, has been advocating for his son all the way.

Lil Durk still has to deal with a racketeering-related case later this year, but at least he and his supporters can celebrate his acquittal on murder-for-hire charges. His father Dontay Banks Sr., also known as Big Durk or by his Islamic name Abdul Haqq, spoke to TMZ yesterday (Friday, September 11) outside the Los Angeles courthouse where a jury found the Chicago rapper not guilty on all counts.

"It's a great moment for us right now," he remarked. "The feeling is just... I'm just bursting with joy right now. Can't contain it, almost, right now. This is a beautiful thing for us. The family is on a high right now. [Durk's] always been strong, focused, and prideful. He knew that this day was coming right here. He used to keep me smiling. 'Cause every time I talked to him, he always got a smile on his face. He always happy. Always looking at this as 'My day gon' come, and they gon' give me the verdict which I deserve: not guilty.'"

Big Durk clarified he hadn't spoken to his son since the verdict. "I just seen him in the court, waved at him... Thank God for what just happened, and then we'll talk later on tonight. When he walk out of there, we gon' do a big celebration. Alhamdulillah... [I was] nervous, anxious. My emotions were out of control."

What's Next For Lil Durk?

Many others have celebrated Lil Durk's verdict, including many of his hip-hop peers. Young Thug, Meek Mill, Drake, Ye, G Herbo, 21 Savage, and many others were among the collaborators and friends who took to social media to support the Chicago MC and praise his not guilty verdict.

Lil Durk's father commented on the trial as it developed, showing his support in court and discussing the latest developments. He was particularly distraught by OTF Jam's testimony against Durk for the prosecution, but he has more reason to celebrate now.

Next, The Voice will face trial for racketeering-related charges on October 5 of this year, if everything goes according to the current schedule at press time. Prosecutors are accusing him of participating in or planning violent crimes in Chicago and Atlanta in 2022 and 2019, respectively. Both sides of the court will make their cases for why Durk should stay behind bars or get bond ahead of the next trial.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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