BELLWOOD, Ill. (CBS) — Just last week, Lil Durk was honored by two suburban mayors who even gave the rapper the keys to their towns — and partnered with his foundation.
Thursday night, Lil Durk – real name Durk Devontay Banks –was arrested in Florida for a murder-for-hire plot. Prosecutors said multiple members of Durk’s rap collective and their associates used two cars to “track, stalk and attempt to kill” rapper Quando Rando at a Los Angeles gas station.
A shooting in Los Angeles missed Rando, but in 2022 Rando’s cousin, 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson, was killed.
After Durk’s arrest, one of those mayors returns.
Mayor Andre Harvey of Bellwood, Illinois, said he will not return the key to his town until the legal process is completed. Meanwhile, in Broadview, Illinois, Mayor Katrina Thompson wasted no time in withdrawing the key to her community from Durk.
At a ceremony last week, both mayors were present as Lil Durk was honored with the keys to both Bellwood and Broadview. The mayors took the time to have their picture taken with Lil Durk.
A partnership with the rapper’s charity, Neighborhood Heroes Foundation, was announced in front of students from both communities.
“This is a momentous occasion to have Lil Durk join us in our community,” Harvey said during the ceremony.
But the symbolic gesture was immediately met with backlash — even before news of Lil Durk’s arrest on murder-for-hire charges.
“So we glorify that?” said Yvette Green of Bellwood, “Or are we saying that’s okay?”
“He’s not even from here, he’s from the South Side,” said Arnettra Westbrooks of Broadview.
Earlier this week, Mayor Thompson defended her decision to give Lil Durk the keys to the village during the board meeting.
“I am mayor and I am proud to have made that connection that is very valuable to our community,” Thompson said at a meeting a few days ago.
Angela Patterson is running for mayor in Broadview.
“It just doesn’t send the best message to our residents, to our community,” he said of the decision to award the key to Lil Durk and his defense of it.
Janel Moreland is the current village clerk in Bellwood and a candidate for mayor.
“You know, so what about the people who have been active in our communities; who have done great things in our communities?” she said.
After Lil Durk was arrested in Florida, Thompson, Mayor Thompson withdrew the honor and cut ties with the Neighborhood Heroes Foundation.
While acknowledging that Durk and other suspects are presumed innocent, villagers “have even higher moral and ethical standards of behavior. And our public partners must also reflect 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 job number one.”
“I think it’s too late,” Patterson said. “I don’t think we should have given him the key from the start.”
Bellwood Mayor Harvey said he was surprised to hear of Lil Durk’s arrest, but he isn’t willing to take the key away.
He said, “We live in the United States of America where the suspect is innocent until proven guilty.”
Moreland said she would like to see the key there taken from Lil Durk as well.
“Absolutely,” she said. “At least it would show that I care about my community, right? At least it would show that I don’t approve of this.’
Harvey said Lil Durk was honored for his work in the community and not for his music. Both Harvey and Thompson declined on-camera interviews Friday.
Lil Durk also donated $150,000 to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign. When the mayor was asked on Friday whether he should return the money, he said:
“Like I said, there are allegations right now. He hasn’t been tried yet.’
Mayor Johnson went on to say that Lil Durk has played an important role in helping children in Chicago.
Charlie de Mar
