Lil Durk is the stage name of Durk Derrick Banks, an American rapper, singer, and songwriter born on October 19, 1992. He is the founder and main contributor of the group and record label Only The Family (OTF). With the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), Durk developed a cult following that led to a record deal with Def Jam Recordings. Before Durk left Def Jam in 2018, the label would release his first two studio albums, Remember My Name (2015) and Lil Durk 2X (2016).
After releasing his Just Cause Y’all Waited mixtape independently in March 2018, Durk inked a contract with Alamo Records in July. With the single “Viral Moment” off his fifth studio album, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2, Durk made his first debut as a lead artist on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2020. (2020). With singles like “3 Headed Goat” (featuring Polo G and Lil Baby), “Backdoor,” and “The Voice,” as well as guest appearances on Drake’s single “Laugh Now Cry Later” and Pooh Shiesty’s song “Back in Blood,” Lil Durk’s commercial resurgence continued. He also released two studio albums, The Voice (2020) and The Voice of the Heroes (2021), the latter of which became his first to enter the Billboard 200’s 2022 release, 7220, and went to number one for the second time in a row.
Durk began considering music as a career in 2011. He pondered rapping as “a full-time job” after the release of his two singles, “Sneak Dissin’” and “I’ma Hitta,” each of which earned generally favorable reviews, after plans to sign with Chief Keef’s and French Montana’s labels fell through. Life Ain’t No Joke, Durk’s third mixtape, was made available on October 19, 2012. Over 216,000 people have downloaded the mixtape as of September 22, 2015, according to DatPiff. The song “L’s Anthem,” which was remixed and features French Montana, was re-released by Durk in December 2012.
