FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk has been arrested in Florida on federal charges that he paid for the 2022 attempted retaliation killing of rapper Quando Rondo at a Los Angeles gas station that resulted within the death of his cousin Roundabout.

Durk, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire within the death of 24-year-old Saviay Robinson, who was shot and killed on Aug. 19, 2022, in response to an FBI statement released Friday.

Five other members of Durk’s Chicago rap collective, “Only the Family,” or “OTF,” were also arrested, and at the least two more arrests could follow, in response to filed court documents. The FBI says Durk was arrested Thursday evening in South Florida as he tried to flee the country.

Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, won a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance earlier this yr for his song “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. He was also nominated 3 times and guest starred in Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later.”

FBI agent Sarah Corcoran said in her statement that OTF members “commit violence, including murder and assault, at Banks’ direction to maintain their status in the OTF.”

Representatives for Durk didn’t immediately reply to emails searching for comment Friday.

According to Corcoran’s affidavit and other federal court records, the shooting occurred in November 2020, when 26-year-old OTF rapper King Von was murdered at an Atlanta nightclub after Von and Rondo got right into a fight. Records show that Rondo’s friend pulled out a gun and shot Von several times, killing him. Von, whose real name was Dayvon Bennett, had two hit singles: “Crazy Story” and “Took Her to the O.”

Authorities say Durk indicated he would “pay a bounty” to anyone who killed Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman.

Nearly two years later, a murder plot quickly emerged, Corcoran wrote.

On August 18, 2022, Durk’s associates learned that Rondo was staying at a hotel in Los Angeles. Corcoran said that on that day, Deandre Wilson, Keith Jones, David Lindsey, Asa Houston and a fifth anonymous suspect flew from Chicago to San Diego after which drove to Los Angeles using funds provided by Durk.

That day, Durk allegedly texted a flight arranging associate: “Do not book any flights under a name that is not associated with me.” Corcoran said there was video evidence that Durk was at a house within the San Fernando Valley that day.

Upon arrival in Los Angeles, OTF members met Kayon Grant, who had flown there by private jet. Court records show Grant, a top OTF associate, arranged hotel rooms for the lads, bought them 4 ski masks and two luxury sedans. Grant allegedly gave Jones, Lindsey and a 3rd unnamed suspect weapons, including one converted to a completely automatic machine gun.

The next day, the group allegedly followed Rondo and Robinson as they drove in a Cadillac Escalade to a marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, a clothing store in West Hollywood, after which to a gas station across the road from the Beverly Center.

There, Houston allegedly parked his automobile behind the station in order that Jones, Lindsey and the unnamed defendant could attack Rondo. They got out and opened fire, killing Robinson, who was standing in front of the Escalade, but missing Rondo, in response to the indictment and news reports of the shooting.

The suspects then went to an In-N-Out hamburger stand, where they discussed payment with Grant, after which flew home to Chicago from San Diego, in response to the Corcoran and other documents. Wilson later allegedly paid Jones and Lindsey an undisclosed amount.

Grant, Jones, Lindsey, Wilson and Houston were arrested Thursday in Chicago in reference to conspiracy to commit murder for hire. No attorney information for the lads was immediately available in court records.

Corcoran wrote that after their arrests, Durk booked two flights from airports in South Florida – one to Dubai and one to Switzerland. He then booked a personal flight to Italy, but before he could board that flight, he was arrested in Miami.

Durk and the opposite defendants are being held pending transfer to Los Angeles.

In 2019 Durk and King Von were indicted in Atlanta after a drive-by shooting that left a person wounded within the leg. Prosecutors dropped the case against Durk in 2022, two years after Von’s murder. Durk denied his involvement.

In 2014 Durek pleaded guilty to an aggravated felony for illegal use of a weapon and possession of a firearm after he was seen carrying a gun on a Chicago street. He was spared prison.

Durk was recently honored by two villages in Chicago’s western suburbs by announcing a partnership along with his charity, the Neighborhood Heroes Foundation.

“This partnership and collaboration will provide youth in our community with resources and mentoring opportunities,” Andre Harvey, mayor of Bellwood, 14 miles west of Chicago, said last week on the village’s Facebook page.

However, on Friday, Katrina Thompson, the mayor of nearby Broadview, announced that she was cutting ties with Neighborhood Heroes and taking back the honorary key to the village given to Durk.

While admitting that Durk and the opposite suspects are presumed innocent, the villagers have “even higher standards of moral and ethical behavior. Our public partners must also be held to the same uncompromising standards,” Thompson wrote on the village’s Facebook page.

“As mayor, protecting the interests of Broadview and upholding the values ​​of its residents is my number one job.”

A telephone message was left at his office searching for comment from Harvey, the mayor of Bellwood.

Republican loudmouth Candace Owens, whom many in hip-hop became acquainted with after Kanye West introduced her as a political voice on TMZ in 2018, has often been critical of rappers who support Democrats. Recently, she has focused on Eminem.

After the Detroit rapper introduced former President Barack Obama at a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, the conservative influencer didn’t hesitate.

“Eminem still dresses up as a rapper who’s been through things, even though he hasn’t touched his doorknobs in 40 years,” he says. he joked on episode 88 of her “Candace” podcast, mocking his political stance: “He decided he was going to come out and remind Black people in Detroit what they should be doing.”

She continued: “Of course, since Barry wasn’t enough to tell us what brothers should do, we’ll add this guy who has a complex and has basically made three albums hating on Trump. He will come out and tell black people how to behave, which makes sense! Eminem is such a fraud.”

This is not Owens’ first brush with hip-hop politics.

From clashing with Ice Cube over his characterization of gangsta rap, claiming it was created by the feds, to criticizing artists like Cardi B for supporting the Biden-Harris campaign in 2020, he has consistently criticized those whose views don’t align along with her own .

She even said that the Grammy winner had a low IQ after she met with Biden to speak in regards to the issues and encourage her fans to get out and vote for the present president.

The expert even called the D12 founder “gay” saying“It’s very sad that Eminem cleaned out his closet but never came out of it.”

However, Owens has shown admiration for celebrities similar to Kanye West and Kid Rock expressed supportrt for Donald Trump. Kanye’s endorsement of Owens six years ago helped raise her profile, and Lil Wayne’s unwavering loyalty to MAGA earned her respect.

However, Eminem’s very public statements against Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement in widely publicized freestyles worn out her red bottom.

At a rally in Detroit on Tuesday, October 22, Eminem used the platform to encourage Michigan voters to specific their opinions.

“I’m here tonight for a few important reasons,” the “Rap God” rapper told the 1000’s gathered. “As most of you understand, town of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan mean rather a lot to me, and with this election we’re within the highlight greater than ever and I imagine it will be important to talk up, so I encourage everyone to get out and vote, please “

Eminem introduces Barack Obama in Detroit tonight. pic.twitter.com/wqI7sULHJ4

— 𝖼𝗋𝗄Ⓥ (@crk5) October 24, 2024

Adding: “I also imagine that individuals should not be afraid to specific their opinions, and I do not think anyone wants an America where people worry about being punished for what they’ll do if you happen to reveal your opinion. “I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country in which these freedoms and many others are protected and respected.”

This comes days after Trump said the nation could be in chaos under President Kamala Harris: “The whole country is going to be like, ‘You want to know the truth, it’s going to be like Detroit.’ If she becomes your president, our whole country will be like Detroit.”

Obama supported the rapper with a light-hearted nod to Eminem’s iconic lyrics from “Lose Yourself” and jokingly spat, “My palms are sweaty, my knees are weak, my arms are heavy,” addressing the group.

Obama raps Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” after the rapper introduced him at a rally for Harris in Detroit, MI. pic.twitter.com/MqXJzplZPY

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 23, 2024

He then finished strong, jumping up and down as many rappers do, and continued, “I’m already vomiting on my sweater, mom’s spaghetti, I’m nervous but I seem calm and ready to drop bombs, but I keep forgetting.”

The rapper had no problem with Obama using his music, but he sent Vivek Ramaswamy to stop using the identical song in 2023.

Fans joined the X platform, swaying to the sounds of a mix of Marshall Mathers and Obama.

One fan he said“Eminem and Taylor Swift? Wow!”

Others teased the Republican Party for its expectations of him due to his race: “The way right-wingers assumed or expected Eminem that a man who said things like ‘Black people saved my life’ stood as much as discrimination and brutality police and directly called out Donald Trump, vote Republican simply because he’s a white rapper.”

Right-wingers assumed or expected Eminem, a man who said things like “Black people saved my life”, opposed discrimination and police brutality, and directly called for Donald Trump to vote Republican simply because he’s a white rapper 😭🤣

— it’s football szn🏆 🐉🔱 💀 🎲 🔩 (@BiggestKusalol) October 24, 2024

People shouted at individuals who were shocked, saying“You really do not know anything about Eminem. He hates the orange clown.

Fourth user X he wrote“It’s funny that Eminem hasn’t changed his ways since the beginning and has always been open about the things he cares about, and in this case, hates.”

Eminem’s message resonated with many, while Owens simply didn’t see it and continues to cement her role as a controversial and vocal figure within the conservative space by harshly criticizing rappers who speak out against her political positions and candidates.