India Royale is speaking out as Lil Durk faces serious federal charges in a murder-for-hire case. Standing firmly by his side, she and the rest of Durk’s family are calling out the justice system for using his lyrics as “false evidence.”
India Royale Defends Lil Durk Amid Legal Battle
In a statement released Tuesday, April 29, which has now been posted as a video by the rapper himself via Instagram, his family slammed the government’s use of Durk’s lyrics and for criminalizing rap. Royale took to her Instagram with a lengthy statement signed by the Banks family, which reads:
“The recent developments in Durk’s legal case have brought a harsh truth to light: the government presented false evidence to a grand jury to indict him,” the statement read. “That isn’t justice. That’s a violation of the very system that’s supposed to protect all of us.”
On April 18, Lil Durk’s legal team reportedly filed several motions accusing prosecutors of misusing a portion of his song with Babyface Ray, ‘Wonderful Wayne and Jackie Boy,’ as evidence in the case. They argue the government falsely interpreted the lyrics to suggest Durk was attempting to profit off the killing of Saviay’a Robinson, Quando Rondo’s cousin. The rapper and his team flatly deny these claims.
This alleged misuse of lyrics is at the heart of the “false evidence” Durk’s family called out in their statement. And, Durk’s legal team says the lyrics were written months before the killing of Robinson. They also claim that the version cited in court was edited by fan pages, not Durk or his label.
“Durk has always used music to tell stories, to express pain, to heal—and yet those same lyrics are now being used against him,” the family said. “We refuse to stay silent as Black artists continue to be criminalized for their creativity. Rap is art. As a family, we are asking the public, the fans, and the culture to stand with us. Stand for truth. Stand for fairness. Stand for The Voice.”
Social Media Lights Up With Mixed Reactions
Instagram user @deardeashiaxxo took to The Shade Room’s comment section to write, “Praying for Durk, praying [for] his family most importantly praying for his Children🙏”
Instagram user @cee_gudda wrote, “& so what y’all need me to do? Cause I’m ready to do it!!”
Instagram user @son__of__congo added, “[Durk] innocent button —>”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @veryilllmannered commented “i’m sorry didn’t he get ppl k!lled in real life 😭”
While Instagram user @dripping_my_melanin said, “I think he did whatever [they] said he did”
Finally, Instagram user @traci_enix wrote, “Not false information 😂😂 Nicca you spoke about it all. 😂😂😂”
Backstory On The Case
As previously reported by The Shade Room, Lil Durk, the 32-year-old Chicago rapper born Durk Banks, was arrested back in October. And, he was taken into custody near Miami International Airport on federal charges related to a murder-for-hire conspiracy. The Justice Department alleges that Durk orchestrated a shooting at a Los Angeles gas station in August 2022, targeting a rival rapper, Quando Rondo, but instead killing the rival’s family member. The shooting, which took place near the Beverly Center shopping mall, left the victim dead and put many others in danger, according to federal authorities.
Furthermore, Durk faces charges of conspiracy to use interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada condemned the violence and called it a “cold-blooded murder” that endangered the public. He made his initial court appearance in Florida, and his November arraignment took place in Los Angeles federal court. Also, the rapper has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody.
The rapper’s attorneys are fighting to have the charges dropped or to secure his release on bail before his May 8 hearing. Meanwhile, Durk’s father says he’s using his time behind bars to convert fellow inmates to Islam.
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