Opinion: They call it “The Trap” for a reason.
The whole situation between Lil Durk, Quando Rondo and all the chaos surrounding them right now is wild and honestly, a bit heartbreaking. I’ve interviewed Lil Durk and followed his career since the beginning, but if the charges are correct, I was all wrong.
Lil Durk getting arrested, Only The Family (OTF) members facing charges and the violent cycle that’s been circling for years feels like a television show. It’s like we’re watching talented artists and their crews throw it all away over beef. It’s crazy when you think about how the once-positive intentions of Hip-Hop can, in 2024, somehow lead to alleged retaliation, violence and dreams destroyed.
According to reports, Quando Rondo landed in Los Angeles and “tapped in” with local connections, per usual. But doing so apparently tipped off someone with Lil Durk’s crew to his location, causing a domino affect. The streets say Durk’s crew, OTF, were on their way to L.A., booking flights, grabbing weapons and planning to confront Quando Rondo. Quando survived, but his cousin didn’t.
It’s hard not to think about how pointless this all seems.
King Von’s 2020 death clearly left scars, but does trying to get even ever really work out? Killing somebody doesn’t bring him back. Revenge only costs people their lives and freedom. Clearly, it’s not cheap. In fact, in my view, this is a nightmare. King Von is dead and Lil Durk and crew face life or the death penalty.
If anything, the developing story highlights just how destructive the culture has become. Also, it underscores how hood expectations lead to failure. Both Quando Rondo and Lil Durk are successful in their own way, loved by fans in their own way and influential in their own way. But when everything becomes about protecting your reputation or getting back at someone, even if it’s for a lost friend, all of it can disappear. They didn’t even get the person they were allegedly after. Quando lives and others’ lives are ruined.
We, the fans and media too, need to ask ourselves what we’re really supporting here.
This isn’t Drake and Kendrick Lamar or another beef. Lil Durk is one of the most popular rappers living and he’s talented too. I spent crazy money so my daughter and her friends could see him live in concert. (The other parents never paid me back, by the way. Petty of me but worth it for them.) These people could’ve gone down as legends in rap’s ever-expanding universe. Instead, it may be all down the drain. I know Lil Durk was re-positioning his brand, but it seems all for naught.
To anyone looking at this situation and others like it, remember: ego isn’t worth it. At the end of the day, none of this is worth losing everything over, especially freedom. The culture deserves better than this. Do better.
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