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Lil Durk has seen some shit.
OTF starKing Von was murdereddays after his debut,Welcome to OBlock,dropped in 2020.
Last June, Durks older brother DThang was killed outside a club in Illinois.
That July, armed robbers broke into Durks home, drawing fire from the rapper and his girlfriend.
In December, OTF affiliate ARoy was shot to death in broad daylight.
Durk is trying to build something different, though.
But its a difficult trek, as Durks own career has borne out.
If the albums felt too polished, a mixtape like 2016s gruff, feature-heavyThey Forgotwould redirect his course.
Durks art improved, but sales lagged behind.
Hit records eluded new rappers in the early 2010s.
Durks new album,7220,ponders the emotional fallout of a year of big achievements and crushing lows.
Grief, pride, and spite run together as Durk addresses his enemies while mourning the dead.
The laughs sit uncomfortably close to the tears.
Theres no time to decompress.
Life moves too quickly.7220is one of the better ones.
Durk isnt bogged down by dodgy song selection or offbeat collaborations.
where the death of Virgil Abloh comes up like a forecast for an advancing storm.
No Interviews recalls going to court on Percocet and romancing a lady guard on the way out.
You cant let your opps think youre soft, but aggression has consequences.
Turning up the temperature on haters puts your family in danger.
7220makes the experience of being very rich with very famous enemies seem almost understandable, at times relatable.
Durk lays out whats at stake when he revisits childhood poverty and family trauma.
Education budget cuts in cities nationwide stymie childrens career options while the lack of jobs keeps them hungry.
Government policy fertilizes gang violence just as much as pride, brashness, and jealousy do.
The message went unheeded as these young stars were treated like monsters andbarred from playing shows.
They say I terrify my city, Durk famously lamented in Dis Aint What U Want in 2013.
Rap is a music of the street, so shit that happens in the street happens in rap.
The cycle continues as long as we pretend the violence starts and ends with the music.
This isnt to absolve rappers of any blame for their actions.
Tough talk leads to tragedy; negativity begets negativity.
