Judge Allows Lil Durk's 'Pissed Me Off' Video and Lyrics as Evidence in Murder-for-Hire Trial
A federal judge ruled on August 13, 2026 that Lil Durk's music video and lyrics for the song 'Pissed Me Off' can be used as evidence in his murder-for-hire trial in Los Angeles, where jury selection is set to begin on August 20.
U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald granted prosecutors' request at a morning hearing, over the objection of the rapper's defence team. Lil Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, is 33 years old and has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire. He is accused of orchestrating a hit on the rapper Quando Rondo that instead killed a bystander, Saviay'a 'Lul Pab' Robinson, in Los Angeles on August 19, 2022. Rolling Stone
Robinson was struck in the crossfire of at least 18 rounds fired from multiple weapons, including a machine gun, at a gas station near the Beverly Center.
Prosecutors argued in their motion that 'Pissed Me Off' shows Lil Durk's 'resolve to avenge' the death of Dayvon 'King Von' Bennett — a fellow rapper and close associate who was fatally shot in 2020. The judge agreed to admit the video after prosecutors said a cooperating witness who was present during the filming would offer interpretations of both the lyrics and the visuals for the jury.
Lil Durk's defence lawyer, Marissa Goldberg, pushed back hard. She argued that showing the 'Pissed Me Off' video in court could create 'so much risk of prejudice and confusion' among jurors. Goldberg told the court that the song is largely about Lil Durk's slain older brother, Dontay 'DThang' Banks Jr., whose name is referenced in its opening lyrics.
The ruling is not a clean sweep for either side. Judge Fitzgerald had previously barred lyrics from a separate Lil Durk track, 'Hanging With Wolves,' from the upcoming trial. He has also severed racketeering charges and charges tied to a 2022 killing in Chicago from the Los Angeles case, setting them aside for a later trial.
At an earlier hearing, a prosecutor identified as Corcoran stated that there is video evidence placing Lil Durk at a house in the San Fernando Valley on the day of Robinson's killing. AP News
The decision to admit recorded music as courtroom evidence touches a long-running debate in the U.S. legal system over whether rap lyrics and videos should be treated as art or as statements of intent. Several states have moved in recent years to limit the practice, citing the risk that jurors will conflate fictionalised or exaggerated lyrics with criminal conduct.
For now, the 'Pissed Me Off' video and lyrics will be part of the case the jury hears. What the twelve selected on August 20 make of them is another matter entirely.
