Lil Durk | |
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![]() Lil Durk in 2022 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Durk Derrick Banks |
Also known as |
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Born | [1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[2] | October 19, 1992
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Discography | Lil Durk discography |
Years active | 2010–present |
Labels | |
Member of | Only the Family |
Partner(s) | India Royale (2017–present; engaged) |
Children | 7 |
Website | lildurk |
Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois.[5] He is considered one of the pioneers[6] and a preeminent artist of the drill genre.[7] He initially garnered a local following with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), whose success led to him to sign with Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015) and its follow-up, Lil Durk 2X (2016) to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the artist in 2018.
Following the independent release of his Just Cause Y'all Waited mixtape in March 2018, Durk signed with Alamo Records in July of that year.[8] In April 2020, Durk made his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist with his single "Viral Moment." He gained further chart success throughout that year with his singles "3 Headed Goat" (featuring Polo G and Lil Baby), "Backdoor," and "The Voice"; his features on Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later" and Pooh Shiesty's "Back in Blood", and closed the year with his sixth album, The Voice (2020). The following year, his collaborative album with Georgia rapper Lil Baby, The Voice of the Heroes (2021) became his first to debut atop the Billboard 200. His seventh album, 7220 (2022) became his second to do so, while his eighth album, Almost Healed (2023) was led by the single "All My Life" (featuring J. Cole), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, won a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance, and remains his most commercially successful release.
Durk founded the Chicago-based collective and record label Only the Family (OTF) in 2010, for which he serves as the lead member. The group, having released six albums, included slain rapper King Von.[9][10]