After King Von’s passing, tribute posts began pouring onto social media in his honor – including one from Lil Durk who addressed him as his “baby bro.”
Dayvon Daquan Bennett, better known by his stage name King Von, passed away in November 2020 after finding success as a rapper reinterpreting drill’s austere and hard-edged aesthetic.
Lil Durk referred to him as his “baby bro”
Von often explored the violence of Chicago’s South Side and its role in American culture through his music. Yet he was also an amazing lyricist: his songs often had narrative structures with lyrics delivered with both force and humanity.
Lil Durk and King Von formed an unlikely bond due to their shared interests and lifestyle choices, becoming close through “baby broship”. Although neither were biologically related, their strong bond made them feel like siblings or twins.
After King Von’s passing, Lil Durk paid tribute to him by featuring a poignant clip in the music video for Backdoor featuring Durk wearing his late friend’s trademark O’Block chain. It is a touching remembrance to someone who had accomplished great things while giving back to their community, being an attentive father and dedicated friend; unfortunately his death came as an enormous shock for his family, friends, and fans.
He was a great performer
King von autopsy was an incredible rapper who mesmerized listeners with hard-hitting beats and catchy hooks, filled with vivid storytelling and an irresistibly relatable narrative. He blended elements from drill and trap music for an engaging listening experience for his fans; making guest appearances on projects by Lil Durk as well as 42 Dugg and Polo G’s projects, among many more.
Von found great success after Lil Durk helped him transition back into civilian life after his release from jail, unleashing an extraordinary talent through song. His songs depicting violent robberies and shootouts demonstrated his ability to bring to life the history of violence through rapid-fire delivery. Von maximized his storytelling abilities across three critically-acclaimed mixtapes: Grandson Vol. 1, Levon James and Welcome to O-Block; his latter track with its depiction of Shorty and Wayne is his most compelling narrative song thus far; landing top 10 on Hot Rap Songs chart while peaking at number 8 on Rhythmic charts.
He was a member of the Black Disciples gang
King Von was a member of Chicago’s Black Disciples gang in Parkway Gardens and associated with personal storytelling through intense delivery. However, he also had a history of violence; following Jakira Barnes’ killing by Gangster Disciples on 63rd Street a war between their rival sets was initiated; ultimately becoming personal for King Von. Retaliation against Jakira Barnes caused ripple effects through both rival sets that directly or indirectly involved King Von.
He later relocated to Atlanta in order to escape police harassment and old enemies, and made a name for himself with mixtapes like Grandson Vol. 1 and Levon James, as well as signing with Lil Durk’s Only the Family label and working on several more projects that had yet to be released before his untimely passing in 2016. Family Over Everything serves as a testament to his legacy with its image of young son on its cover as its signature feature.
He was involved in a criminal case
King Von was not only known for his musical career, but was also involved in multiple criminal cases. A member of the Black Disciples gang, King Von would often reference them in his music. Yet despite this criminal past he managed to rise through the ranks of rap music scene eventually collaborating with artists such as YNW Melly and NLE Choppa while signing to Lil Durk’s Only the Family label.
Lil Durk recounted in a video how King Von would get into trouble and go to jail, yet always remain positive and remain a great performer who knew how to captivate audiences.
King Von’s murder triggered a feud between rival rapper crews, leading police to suspect that it may have been part of a gang dispute. A convicted felon named Lul Tim now stands accused of the murder but his attorney believes that all charges will likely be dropped against him.
