Amaar Burton
Seven days after Chicago rapper King Von released his critically-acclaimed third album, Welcome to O'Block, he was shot and killed in a gunfight outside of an Atlanta lounge. He was only 26 years old and leaves behind two children.
At the time of his death, King Von was establishing himself as as star in the hip-hop industry and garnering increased praise for his growth as a storytelling MC and lyricist. As part of Lil Durk‘s Only The Family (OTF) label, King Von was the second-most prominent member of the crew of “drill” rappers, outside of Lil Durk.
Fans were just getting to know the young artist before he was taken due to gun violence. His audience was growing, with over two million Instagram followers and almost 280,000 Twitter followers. In his last tweet, King Von wrote “Put me on any beat. Imma murda dat b****. It’s jus wat I do.”
Here are some facts about King Von’s life and the circumstances surrounding his death.
King Von Grew Up On Chicago’s South Side
King Von was born Dayvon Daquan Bennett on Aug. 9, 1994, in Chicago. He grew up on the city’s South Side, becoming childhood friends with Lil Durk and rapper Chief Keef. As a youth, Dayvon joined the Black Disciples gang. (The “OTF” name of Durk’s label is said to be derived from the Only Trey Folks branch of the gang.) He got in trouble early in life and was in out of correctional facilities, picking up the nickname “Grandson” while locked up, before adopting the rap name King Von.
King Von Was Once Accused Of Murder
King Von was 19 years old in 2014 when he was charged with murder in the shooting death of 19-year-old Malcolm Stuckey in Chicago. He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder for the two other people who were wounded in the shooting. Von and his co-defendant, Michael Wade, allegedly left a house party and returned with guns, opening fire and killing Stuckey, who was sitting on the front porch. Although Von spent three years in prison awaiting and during trial, he was eventually acquitted.
King Von’s Rap Career Began In Prison
It was while he was incarcerated that King Von dedicated himself to becoming a rapper. Upon his release, his friend Lil Durk signed him to his record label, and Von put out “Crazy Story” in 2018, his breakout single. In 2019, he dropped his debut album, Grandson, Vol. 1. He recorded “Crazy Story 2.0” for the album, and that single peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard R&B and Hip-Hop chart.
King Von Was A Father Of Two
In death, King Von leaves behind two children, a son and a daughter. He was also very involved in raising his nephew. A statement by Von’s publicist after he passed read, “He was a devoted father, a deeply loyal friend, and a man who took care of his people before himself. We are heartbroken for his family, his friends, his team, and his fans. Long live King Von.”
King Von + Lil Durk Were Charged In Another Shooting
In June 2019, Von and Durk were both arrested and charged with attempted murder. They were accused of shooting Alexander Witherspoon in Atlanta and robbing him of $30,000 in an gang-related incident. Witherspoon was shot in the leg and survived. Lil Durk and King Von’s lawyers claim it was self-defense and not a robbery. The case was still open at the time of King Von’s death.
King Von Had Dated Asian Doll
For the last couple of years, King Von had an on-again, off-again relationship with Texas rapper Asian Doll. The two reportedly began dating in 2018 and broke up this past summer. Reacting to the news of King Von’s death, Asian Doll posted a series of anguished tweets that had fans worried for her own wellbeing. She wrote that before she and Von split, “I knew 100% (that) we was gone be TOGETHER 4EVER.”
King Von’s Second Album Was His Best-Selling So Far
King Von’s second album, LeVon James, was released in March 2020. It peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, his best-selling project to date. One of the most popular songs on that album is “Rolling,” which features Florida rapper YNW Melly — who is currently facing double murder charges for his role in the death of two of his friends and fellow rappers YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser.
Fight With Rap Rival Led To King Von’s Death
In the early-morning hours of Nov. 6, King Von was at an Atlanta hookah lounge when his group got into a fight with Georgia rapper Quando Rondo and his crew. According to the police, the fight led to gunfire being exchanged between the two groups. After police arrived, the gunfire continued and the officers were shooting, too. There have been some rumors that King Von was actually killed by the police during the shootout, but that has not been confirmed. In his last IG post, just hours before he died, King Von was promising to release new music.
