Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Durk, whose birth name is Durk Banks, is set to begin his trial in a Los Angeles federal court today, August 20, 2026. He faces murder-for-hire charges stemming from an alleged incident in 2022.
Banks is accused of orchestrating an attempt to kill Atlanta-area rapper Tyquian Bowman, known as Quando Rondo. Prosecutors allege that Banks and others travelled from Chicago to Los Angeles with the intention of murdering Bowman near the Beverly Center.
The alleged ambush at a gas station reportedly resulted in the death of Bowman's cousin, who was travelling with him. Banks, 33, has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder in aid of racketeering, stalking resulting in death, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death. If convicted of all counts, prosecutors stated he would face a mandatory life term in federal prison.
Banks was arrested on October 17, 2024, near Miami International Airport, as he allegedly attempted to flee the country, according to the FBI. His trial is scheduled to begin alongside two co-defendants.