Lil Durk Breaks His Silence On His Murder-For-Hire Acquittal

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Lil Durk Breaks Silence Murder For Hire Acquittal
May 2, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago rapper Lil Durk attends 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
Although Lil Durk is still facing another trial for charges previously severed from this murder-for-hire case, he's confident he'll be free.

Lil Durk has spent almost two years behind bars, but he continues to show his resolve, especially after a huge legal win. After a jury acquitted him on all counts in his murder-for-hire trial, he took to Instagram to share a thankful message with fans. It's the Chicago rapper's first public statement on the matter since the verdict broke.

"Against all odds, we’re stronger together," he wrote. "Allah doesn’t make mistakes. I feel all the love and positive energy. Now let me be free to help save our kids and bring unity back to our communities. I couldn’t have made it this far without my family, my lawyers, and supporters. [open hands emoji] Freedom. Freedom. Freedom."

Quinn Cook Celebrates Lil Durk Verdict

The caption joined a photo of Lil Durk's legal team, including lawyers Brian Steel and Drew Findling. They have represented huge hip-hop stars before and have big wins under their belts, such as Steel's work in the YSL RICO case. Findling, on the other hand, recently received an OTF chain from NBA star Quinn Cook, as caught by Rap on IG.

The Voice's legal team also includes Marissa Goldberg, Christy O'Connor, and others who helped secure the jury's not guilty verdict. His codefendants OTF Dede and Browneyez received convictions for stalking charges, but not the murder-for-hire ones.

As for what's next for Lil Durk, his trail on racketeering and firearm-related charges will begin on October 5 of this year, if everything goes according to the current schedule. The court previously severed these charges from the Los Angeles murder-for-hire case. They reportedly relate to a 2022 Chicago murder and a 2019 Atlanta shooting, and prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to clash over bond possibilities ahead of October.

Elsewhere, hip-hop is reacting to Lil Durk's trial in celebratory and dismissive ways, with allies like Young Thug and enemies like 6ix9ine having a field day in either direction. It's been a long road to get to this point, and though it's not over yet, this was a massive win for Durk. We will see if he finds freedom soon or if the upcoming trial yields punishment.

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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