Mayor Brandon Johnson won't say if he'll return $150,000 from rapper Lil Dirk, arrested on murder-for-hire charges
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday declined to say whether he contributed $150,000 to Chicago rapper Lil Dark's mayoral political committee, a day after the artist was arrested on murder-for-hire charges.
Johnson suggested he had no immediate intention of returning the money when asked how he would handle the large contribution from Dirk Devonte Banks, who rose to stardom from Chicago rapping under the name Lil Dirk.
“You're asking me that I should rule on a black man before a full trial has actually taken place,” the mayor said at a news conference after visiting Collins High School. “I hope you understand why it is not my position to determine the outcome of someone's life.”
Banks is a top contributor to Johnson's political committee.
A company controlled by Banks paid Johnson $150,000 in June 2023, shortly after the rapper met with Johnson twice. Huge election sums since Johnson's election have been exhausted by campaign contributions from construction trade unions.
Federal authorities arrested Banks, 32, in Florida on Thursday. Chicago rapper King Vaughn is accused by prosecutors of contracting five associates to kill Georgia rapper Kwando Rondo, born Tykean Terrell Bowman, in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Chicago rapper King Vaughn, according to a federal criminal indictment filed Friday in California.
Also arrested Thursday were five associates of “Only the Family,” also known as OTF, a hip-hop collective founded by Banks, a mentor to King Vaughn.
Charges include conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire involving death and use of a machine gun in a violent crime resulting in death. The most serious charges carry the death penalty if convicted.
Asked Friday if he thought he should return the money, Johnson said, “I don't act on emotion, I act on truth and justice.”
Banks is among the most successful drill rappers to come out of Chicago since the genre first took off. Also popularized by Chief Keef, G Harbaugh, and other artists, the drill is characterized by hyper-violent lyrics that often revolve around — and sometimes vicious — conflicts between gang groups.
The bank has tried to change and soften its public image in recent years. Some of the songs on his last album, released in May 2023, focus on the trauma of gun violence. Banks has also publicly denied the crime and promoted his Muslim faith in social media posts.
“Everyone deserves a second chance at life,” he wrote in a September post on X, previously on Twitter. “My background has been cleared and cleared on all counts. I am no longer a criminal.”
He has already appeared several times with elected officials. Banks appeared with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Fox at a fundraiser for her youth-oriented Neighborhood Heroes Foundation nonprofit that took place about six months after the alleged crime. Photos show him sitting next to Foxx at a Chicago Sky basketball game this summer.
Johnson alluded to that new image when asked about the arrest Friday.
“I don't know all the circumstances surrounding these allegations, but again, what I do know for sure is that here is another example of a young black man who grew up with serious trauma that led to life choices that he was very open and vocal about, those choices. Heal from,” the mayor said.
“That's why she's committed to finding her righteous path, seeking truth and justice through her faith, as well as investing in behavioral and mental health support for individuals,” he continued.
Banks was given the “keys to the village” in west suburban Broadview by Mayor Katrina Thompson last week.
“May this key enlighten all our young people,” Thompson told Banks as he shared the distinction. “We thank you and we respect you.”
The Village rescinded the honor on Friday and announced it would end a partnership with the rapper's foundation.
“Our public partners must reflect the same uncompromising values our residents demand,” Thompson wrote in a statement.
Banks made an appearance on the HBO series “Hard Knocks” earlier this year as the show followed the Chicago Bears' training camp.
Before donating through his company, The Voice Touring, Dork met with Johnson when he was mayor-elect and another time on Zoom the Friday after his inauguration, according to social media and the mayor's calendar. The first meeting was featured on hip-hop blogs and in an Instagram post by podcaster DJ Academics, leading Dork to defend himself against criticism that he was using the opportunity to market his upcoming album.
“I sat down with the mayor and the politicians, I'm trying to change the picture,” he raps on “All My Life,” a Grammy-winning song released days after the first meeting before Johnson's inauguration.
Johnson participated in the rapper's “financial literacy event” last August with Bank of America and City Treasurer Melissa Conyers-Ervin's office, as well as a “Lil Dark Holiday Event” in December.
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