After the Not Guilty Verdict, What’s Next for Lil Durk?

Chicago rapper Lil Durk just cleared one of the biggest legal hurdles of his career, but his legal battle is not over yet.

A federal jury in Los Angeles found Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, not guilty on all charges in the murder-for-hire case stemming from a 2022 shooting targeting rapper Quando Rondo.

He celebrated the win in a statement on social media.

“Against all odds, we’re stronger together,” he wrote on Instagram. “Allah doesn’t make mistakes. I feel all the love and positive energy. Now let me be free to help save our kids and bring unity back to our communities. I couldn’t have made it this far without my family, my lawyers, and supporters… Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.”

RELATED: Why Lil Durk’s Music Will Play a Huge Role in His Murder-for-Hire Case

We previously told you that prosecutors alleged that Durk orchestrated the attack as retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and fellow rapper King Von. Rondo survived the shooting, but his cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed.

Durk’s attorneys maintained throughout the trial that he had no role in planning the shooting. Some of Durk’s own associates entered plea agreements and testified against him, we also reported.

Now that the high-profile trial has concluded, here’s what you need to know about the fallout and what comes next for Durk.

According to Reuters, the acquittal does not mean Durk is going home. He remains in federal custody while awaiting a separate trial involving racketeering and weapons-related charges. That case is scheduled to begin on October 5. His defense team will now turn its attention to the remaining federal prosecution as his supporters continue to call for his release.

The verdict also came as Durk’s mother, LaShawnda Woodard, opened up about her own guilt surrounding her son’s legal troubles and the death of his older brother, D-Thang.

In an interview with “If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes,” Woodard said, “I feel like everything that has happened is my fault.” She explained that she blames herself for Durk’s incarceration and for the loss of another son, while reflecting on the decisions and circumstances that shaped her family’s lived experiences.

“If I would have listened like I was supposed to, we would have been somewhere totally different,” she said. “They would have been raised different, and I felt like everything would have been better.”

Despite her pain, she said she’s trying to remain strong for her family.

As Durk preps for another high-profile federal trial, members of the hip-hop community have shown their support. Young Thug – who previously faced his own YSL racketeering trial – celebrated Durk’s acquittal on social media.

Thugger suggested that he played a role in helping Durk’s defense. “Thank me later,” he said on X before referencing Durk’s attorney, Brian Steel, who represented Thug in his RICO case.

“I didn’t have to pay lol Brian does whatever I say on face asksmurk,” Thug continued on X.