Federal prosecutors aren’t letting Lil Durk off the hook.
On Monday, they shot down his legal team’s efforts to dismiss murder-for-hire charges connected to the 2022 shooting of Lul Pab, a cousin of rapper Quando Rondo.
Authorities say this case is about a planned killing and not rap lyrics.
Prosecutors argue the Chicago rapper, financed and directed the hit that left Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson dead on a Los Angeles street in August 2022. Rondo, the apparent target, survived.
Durk is currently facing serious charges, including conspiracy, murder-for-hire, and using communication tools across state lines to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death. He has pleaded not guilty.
Back in April, Durk’s attorneys filed a motion to drop the indictment, claiming the government wrongly used his verse on Babyface Ray’s “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy” to sway the grand jury.
They insist the lyrics were written and recorded in early 2022, months before the shooting, and had no connection to what happened. To back it up, they included sworn statements from the song’s producers and accused prosecutors of presenting misleading information.
After the motion was filed, Durk’s team began pushing the idea that he was being criminalized for his music. But the prosecution responded quickly.
Earlier this month, they revised the indictment and removed any reference to lyrics. Still, they made it clear the core of the case hasn’t changed.
“This isn’t about songs—it’s about an intentional, violent act,” wrote U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli in the updated court filing. He also pointed out that witness safety is at risk, adding that some have already received threats tied to the case.
Prosecutors believe the murder was in retaliation for the 2020 death of King Von. They say Durk used his influence, resources, and connections to seek revenge.
Durk is still behind bars in Los Angeles and is scheduled to appear in court again in June.
This will be his third shot at convincing the judge to let him out on bond before the trial begins.
