Lil Durk just walked out of a Los Angeles federal courtroom a free man. On September 11, 2026, a jury cleared him of every charge in the murder-for-hire case that had kept his career on hold for close to two years. Here is who he is, what just happened in court, and the real facts behind his age, family, and career.
Background
Lil Durk, whose legal name is Durk Derrick Banks, is a rapper, singer, and songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. He built his name in the city’s drill music scene starting in 2011 and has since become one of the genre’s most streamed and awarded artists, with a Grammy win and multiple number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart. He also founded Only the Family (OTF), a record label and artist collective that launched the career of the late rapper King Von.
People search for Lil Durk for a mix of reasons: his music, his relationship with fiancée-turned-wife India Royale, his large family, and, for the past two years, the federal criminal case he was facing. That case just reached its conclusion, which is why his name is trending again right now.
Beyond the courtroom headlines, Lil Durk has spent more than a decade shaping a sound that came out of Chicago’s South Side and spread across the entire hip-hop industry. Younger artists in the drill and melodic rap space often name him as a direct influence, and his catalog of guest features reads like a list of the genre’s biggest names, from Lil Baby to J. Cole to Gunna. That combination of commercial success and a highly publicized legal case is what makes him one of the more searched rap artists in the country right now.
Latest Update
As of September 12, 2026, here is what’s currently known.
Lil Durk had been on trial in the United States District Court for the Central District of California over the August 2022 shooting death of Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, the cousin of rapper Quando Rondo. Prosecutors alleged Durk arranged the attack in retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and label artist King Von. Durk pleaded not guilty from the start and always denied the allegations.
The trial began on August 20, 2026, after multiple delays, and both sides rested their case in early September. During the trial, prosecutors called witnesses connected to the shooting, while Lil Durk’s defense team argued that a different associate organized the plot without his knowledge or involvement. The defense also pointed to his response to King Von’s death as artistic, not violent, telling jurors he “channeled” his grief into music rather than revenge.
On September 11, 2026, the jury returned its verdict: not guilty on all five charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and interstate stalking resulting in death. Two of his co-defendants, Deandre Wilson and David Lindsay, were found guilty on separate stalking-related charges but acquitted on the rest.
Confirmed by multiple outlets: The not-guilty verdict was reported by ABC7 Los Angeles, Complex, and is documented on Lil Durk’s Wikipedia page as of this writing.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Lil Durk was born on October 19, 1992, and raised in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, an area known for high rates of gun violence. His father, Dontay Banks Sr., was sentenced to life in prison when Lil Durk was still an infant, leaving his mother to raise him. He became a father himself as a teenager, which he has said pushed him to take music more seriously instead of staying in the streets.
Career Path
Lil Durk released his first mixtape, “I’m a Hitta,” in 2011, then built a local following with the “Signed to the Streets” series between 2013 and 2014. That attention led to a deal with Def Jam Recordings, which released his debut album “Remember My Name” in 2015 and a follow-up, “Lil Durk 2X,” in 2016. He and Def Jam parted ways in 2018, after which he leaned into his own label, Only the Family. His 2021 joint album with Lil Baby, “The Voice of the Heroes,” debuted at number one, and his 2022 solo album “7220” also hit number one on the Billboard 200. He followed that with “Almost Healed” in 2023, an album that leaned into grief and personal loss after the deaths of several people close to him. He won a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2024. His most recent album, “Deep Thoughts,” was originally planned for a 2024 release but was pushed into 2025 because of his arrest and the legal proceedings that followed. Throughout his career, he has also stayed active as a mentor figure for younger Chicago artists signed to Only the Family, several of whom have gone on to chart their own projects.
Age
Lil Durk is 33 years old as of September 2026. He was born on October 19, 1992, in Chicago, Illinois.
Religion
Sources disagree on this point. Some biographical write-ups describe him as practicing Islam, while others list him as Christian. Neither claim has been confirmed by Lil Durk himself in a verified interview, so his religion should be treated as unconfirmed.
Spouse/Partner
Lil Durk has been with India Royale, a beauty entrepreneur and content creator, since 2017. According to her official biography, the two married in 2024, before his arrest that October. India Royale runs her own cosmetics line, India Royale Beauty.
Net Worth
Multiple financial estimate sites place Lil Durk’s net worth between $8 million and $10 million as of 2026, built from album sales, streaming royalties, touring, and his stake in Only the Family. These figures come from third-party estimate sites rather than a disclosed personal statement, so treat the exact number as an approximation rather than a confirmed figure.
Parents
His father is Dontay Banks Sr., who has spent most of Lil Durk’s life in prison. Some sources name his mother as LaShawnda Woodard, though this has not been confirmed through an official or verified source, so it should be treated as unconfirmed.
Height
Lil Durk is listed at approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall (about 1.75 meters) across several biography sources.
Education
He attended Paul Robeson High School in Chicago but did not finish, leaving during his teenage years to focus on music and to support his young family.
Hometown/State of Origin
Lil Durk is from Englewood, a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.
Quick Facts Table
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Durk Derrick Banks |
| Date of Birth | October 19, 1992 |
| Age | 33 (as of September 2026) |
| Hometown | Englewood, Chicago, Illinois |
| Occupation | Rapper, singer, songwriter, label founder |
| Label | Only the Family (OTF) |
| Spouse | India Royale (married 2024) |
| Height | Approx. 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Net Worth | $8 million–$10 million (estimated) |
| 2026 Trial Outcome | Found not guilty on all counts, September 11, 2026 |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Lil Durk still in jail?
No. As of September 12, 2026, Lil Durk is not in jail on the murder-for-hire case, since he was found not guilty on all counts on September 11, 2026. Reports indicate he may still face a separate, unconfirmed racketeering trial at a later date.
What was Lil Durk on trial for?
He was tried on federal charges tied to an August 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that killed Saviay’a Robinson, cousin of rapper Quando Rondo. Prosecutors said the attack was ordered in retaliation for the 2020 murder of King Von, an allegation Lil Durk denied throughout the trial.
What is Lil Durk’s real name?
His legal name is Durk Derrick Banks. He performs under the stage name Lil Durk.
How old is Lil Durk?
Lil Durk was born on October 19, 1992, which makes him 33 years old as of this article’s publish date.
Is Lil Durk married?
Yes. He has been with India Royale since 2017, and according to her official biography they married in 2024.
What is Lil Durk’s net worth?
Estimate sites place his net worth between $8 million and $10 million as of 2026. This figure comes from third-party financial estimates, not a confirmed personal disclosure.
How many kids does Lil Durk have?
Reports vary between six and seven children from different relationships. The exact number has not been confirmed in a single verified source, so treat the higher figure as unconfirmed.
What music label does Lil Durk run?
He founded and runs Only the Family (OTF), a Chicago-based record label and artist collective that helped launch the career of the late rapper King Von.
Did Lil Durk go to trial with anyone else?
Yes. Several of his associates from Only the Family were charged alongside him. Two co-defendants, Deandre Wilson and David Lindsay, were found guilty on stalking-related charges, while Lil Durk himself was acquitted on every count he faced.
What albums is Lil Durk known for?
His best-known projects include “Remember My Name,” “7220,” “The Voice of the Heroes” with Lil Baby, “Almost Healed,” and “Deep Thoughts.” “7220” and “The Voice of the Heroes” both reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
Wrap-Up
Lil Durk’s story right now is really two stories running side by side. One is a music career that has produced multiple number-one albums, a Grammy award, and a fan base that stuck with him through a two-year legal battle. The other is a courtroom drama that just ended in his favor, with a jury clearing him of the most serious charges he has ever faced.
What happens next matters for anyone following his career. A second, unconfirmed trial on racketeering charges may still be ahead, and how that plays out could shape both his freedom and his music output for years to come. Until an official court date is confirmed, that part of the story remains open.
For now, the confirmed fact is simple: as of September 12, 2026, Lil Durk is not guilty in the eyes of the law on the murder-for-hire case that defined the past two years of headlines about him, and he’s expected to return his focus to the music that built his name in the first place.
Thomas Andrew is the founder of Odubio.com, a digital platform sharing inspiring biographies, news, and stories about global icons and achievers.