A federal judge has barred prosecutors from introducing select rap lyrics by Lil Durk as evidence in his high-profile murder-for-hire case, signaling a critical early win for the rapper’s defense. However, the broader battle over whether Durk’s music can be used against him in court is far from over.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled that lyrics from the song “Hanging with Wolves” would be off-limits. The specific line—“I’m the type to hop on a flight with a warrant, you gotta catch me”—had been cited by prosecutors as proof Durk intended to flee. The judge disagreed, saying the line would improperly suggest Durk acted in line with a presumed character trait, something courts traditionally do not allow.
Still on the table is the admissibility of other lyrics and music videos that federal prosecutors argue demonstrate Durk’s leadership in a violent criminal operation known as OTF, short for Only The Family. The government wants jurors to hear lyrics from a dozen songs and see visuals that they claim clearly connect Durk and his associates to violent activity, including a potential assassination attempt on rival rapper Quando Rondo.
Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, is facing allegations that he ordered a daylight execution on August 19, 2022, in Los Angeles. The intended target was reportedly Rondo, whom Durk allegedly held responsible for the death of his close friend King Von two years prior. In the ambush, Rondo’s cousin was killed when gunmen opened fire near a gas station by the Beverly Center.
The case hinges in part on whether Banks’s art reflects actual criminal behavior or is merely performance. Prosecutors insist his lyrics are a window into a real-life conspiracy. The defense counters that lyrics are poetic exaggerations typical of the genre, warning that jurors might misinterpret them as autobiographical fact.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello stressed the importance of video context, arguing that certain visuals make the intent of ambiguous lyrics unmistakable. But defense attorney Marissa Goldberg accused prosecutors of cherry-picking inflammatory content while ignoring more positive portrayals, like Durk’s Grammy-winning video for “All My Life.”
Banks was arrested in October 2024 as he was allegedly preparing to board a private jet to Italy. Authorities claim he was fleeing. His attorneys say the trip was pre-planned for spiritual and business reasons.
With the trial set to begin April 21, pending no further delays, Fitzgerald’s upcoming ruling on the broader exclusion request could dramatically shape how the case unfolds. For now, only some lyrics are off-limits. Whether jurors will get to hear Durk’s verses in court—or see him solely through the lens of legal evidence—remains uncertain.