While he wouldn’t be the first drill artist from Chicago to demonstrate thoughtful, skillful lyricism, the Parkway Gardens native delivered it in a ferocious and resonating package that was, and still is, unrivaled. At a time when many of his peers and predecessors-namely his Only the Family big brother Lil Durk-were making an impact on the streets (and the Billboard charts) through cathartic songs laced with AutoTune, Von made a name for himself by forgoing the melodic route and opting for vividly detailed, immersive, and honest storytelling that was reminiscent of a young Ice-T or the late Speaker Knockerz. Born Dayvon Bennett, he was among a special class of Chicago artists who brought a breath of fresh air to the community’s hip-hop scene, soundtracking the city’s most war-torn and neglected neighborhoods. King Von was only 26 years old, and a father of three children, when he was killed. After rumors circulated that off-duty cops allegedly shot Von, news outlets in Georgia reported that 22-year-old Timothy “Lil Tim” Leeks, the accused gunman who was spotted on the hookah lounge’s surveillance camera, was arrested while being treated for a gunshot wound. According to the nightclub’s surveillance footage that went viral on social media and local news reports, Von and several other people were shot, then taken to the hospital. On Friday morning, outside of a lounge in Atlanta, an altercation reportedly broke out that led to shots being fired and nearby police officers responding. 6 when he tragically died just one week after dropping his latest and most ambitious album, Welcome to O-Block. King Von became the latest addition to that list on Nov. Chief Keef affiliate Tray Savage was gunned down on June 19. Then FBG Duck was shot in broad daylight on Chicago’s downtown Gold Coast area on Aug. 4. Within the span of just four months, we’ve seen the lives of three prominent figures in the city’s drill scene meet a violent and untimely end. In 2020, tragedy has loomed over Chicago hip-hop.
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