Dayvon Daquan Bennett, better known as King Von, was a prominent American rapper from Chicago. Associated with the Black Disciples gang, he gained significant recognition for his contributions to the drill music genre.
Dayvon Daquan Bennett, professionally known as King Von, was born on August 9, 1994.
At the age of 16, King Von was sent to juvenile detention for armed robbery in January 2011. During his time incarcerated, he obtained his GED. Following his release, he briefly attended South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois, but eventually dropped out.
In April 2014, King Von was questioned by police as a person of interest in the death of Gakirah "K.I." Barnes, a 17-year-old Gangster Disciples member. However, due to conflicting witness testimonies, no charges were filed.
In May 2014, a shooting occurred in Englewood, Chicago, resulting in the fatality of Malcolm Stuckey and injuries to two others. King Von was later arrested and charged in connection with this incident.
In July 2014, King Von faced serious charges including one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. These charges stemmed from a shooting incident that resulted in one fatality and injuries to two others.
King Von was arrested on July 24, 2014, in connection with a shooting that took place in May 2014 in Englewood, Chicago. The shooting resulted in the death of Malcolm Stuckey and injuries to two other men. King Von faced charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.
King Von was incarcerated in Cook County Jail from 2014 to 2017. During this time, he received the nickname "Grandson" from a fellow inmate.
After a lengthy legal process, King Von was acquitted of all charges related to the 2014 shooting in December 2017. Following his release, he was signed to Lil Durk's record label, Only the Family.
King Von was found not guilty of all charges related to the May 2014 shooting in December 2017.
King Von was released from Cook County Jail in 2017 after serving a sentence that began in 2014.
On June 17, 2018, King Von released his single "Beat Dat Body," featuring fellow Chicago rapper THF Zoo.
King Von was featured on Lil Durk's album "Lil Durk Presents: Only The Family Involved," released on July 31, 2018.
The music video for "Problems," a track from "Only The Family Involved" featuring King Von, was released on August 9, 2018.
King Von released the single "War With Us" on October 18, 2018.
King Von's breakthrough single, "Crazy Story," was released on December 6, 2018. The song gained significant traction, reaching number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On January 9, 2019, King Von collaborated with Chicago rapper Memo600 on the remix of "Exposing Me." The song sparked attention for its verses addressing real-life feuds and altercations.
On February 4, 2019, rappers FBG Duck and Rooga responded to King Von and Memo600's remix of "Exposing Me" with their own version of the track, further fueling the rivalry.
On February 5, 2019, a shooting incident occurred outside a drive-in in Atlanta, involving King Von and Lil Durk.
King Von made an appearance in the music video for "Grandson" by his then-girlfriend, rapper Asian Doll, released on February 14, 2019.
Following the shooting in Atlanta on February 5, 2019, King Von and Lil Durk were arrested in May 2019 on charges of robbery and aggravated assault. They were accused of robbing and shooting Alexander Witherspoon.
King Von and Lil Durk released the music video for "Crazy Story 2.0" on May 20, 2019. The song performed well, peaking at number four on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
King Von and Lil Durk teamed up once again for the single "Like That," which dropped on July 9, 2019.
King Von dropped the single "What It's Like" on September 2, 2019. The track served as a precursor to his debut mixtape, which was announced in the same month.
The third installment in the "Crazy Story" series, "Crazy Story, Pt. 3," was released on September 13, 2019.
King Von released his debut mixtape, "Grandson, Vol. 1," on September 19, 2019. The 13-track project, executively produced by Chopsquad DJ, featured collaborations with artists such as Lil Durk, Twin Nem, and Booka600.
King Von released the single "2 A.M." on November 16, 2019, accompanied by its music video.
King Von's single "Rollin," featuring YNW Melly, was released on November 29, 2019, along with its music video.
On February 21, 2020, King Von released "Took Her to the O." The track would go on to become his most commercially successful single.
King Von's second mixtape, "Levon James," was released on March 6, 2020. The 16-track project, again executively produced by Chopsquad DJ, featured a star-studded lineup of guest artists, including NLE Choppa, Tee Grizzley, G Herbo, Lil Durk, YNW Melly, Booka600, and Yungeen Ace. The mixtape debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 and eventually peaked at number 40.
The music video for "Trust Issues," featuring Florida rapper Yungeen Ace, was released on March 20, 2020. The song showcased a different side of King Von, revealing a more vulnerable aspect to his persona.
King Von continued to release visuals from "Levon James" with the release of the music video for "3 A.M." on April 6, 2020, on his YouTube channel.
The song "Grandson For President," which was later included on King Von's posthumous album "What It Means to Be King," was initially released in April 2020.
On April 29, 2020, King Von dropped the single "Grandson For President." The song would later be included on his posthumously released album, "What It Means to Be King."
King Von began teasing his debut studio album with the release of the lead single "Why He Told" on July 27, 2020. The single was released with an accompanying music video on YouTube.
On August 21, 2020, the music video for "Me and Doodie Lo," a collaboration between King Von and Doodie Lo from Lil Durk's "Loyal Bros" album, was released.
On August 26, 2020, King Von released "How It Go," another single from his upcoming album. Like "Why He Told," it was accompanied by a music video.
King Von continued his string of pre-album releases with "I Am What I Am," featuring New York rapper Fivio Foreign. The single dropped on October 9, 2020, along with a music video.
King Von's highly anticipated debut studio album, "Welcome to O'Block," was released on October 30, 2020. The 16-track album featured production from notable names like Chopsquad DJ, Tay Keith, Wheezy, and Hitmaka. Guest appearances included Prince Dre, Lil Durk, Dreezy, and Moneybagg Yo. "Welcome to O'Block" marked a significant milestone in King Von's career, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard 200, number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and number 1 on the Top Independent Albums chart.
King Von passed away on November 6, 2020.
King Von was laid to rest in Chicago, Illinois, on November 14, 2020.
Lil Durk released his album "The Voice" on December 24, 2020, as a tribute to King Von. Von's presence was felt throughout the project, as he was featured on the album cover and on the song "Still Trappin'."
The music video for "Don't Miss" from King Von's posthumous album "Grandson" was filmed in late 2020.
In 2020, King Von achieved significant chart success with his singles "Crazy Story" and "Took Her to the O," both reaching the Billboard Hot 100. His studio album "Welcome to O'Block" also performed well, securing the fifth position on the Billboard 200. He was signed to Lil Durk's label, Only the Family, and Empire Distribution.
On February 26, 2021, King Von's manager revealed that the rapper had over 300 unreleased songs, amounting to roughly 10 albums worth of material. He shared their plan to release this music posthumously with the family's blessing, aiming to preserve King Von's legacy.
On March 3, 2021, King Von was posthumously featured on three tracks from Lil Durk's compilation album "Loyal Bros": "Out the Roof," "Me and Doodie Lo," and "Jump." Music videos for "Me and Doodie Lo" and "Jump," filmed before King Von's death, were also released.
In August 2021, a mural of King Von created by artist Chris Devins was unveiled in Chicago's Parkway Gardens complex where he was raised. The mural, while celebrating his life, ignited debate among residents with some expressing concerns about the potential glorification of gang violence and its impact on the community.
King Von's management team announced the upcoming release of his posthumous album, "What It Means to Be King," on February 4, 2022. The album was scheduled for release on March 4, 2022.
The music video for "Don't Play That," featuring 21 Savage, from King Von's posthumous album "What It Means to Be King," was released on February 9, 2022.
A visualizer video for the song "War" from King Von's posthumous album "What It Means to Be King" was released on March 2, 2022.
On March 4, 2022, King Von's first posthumous album, "What It Means to Be King," was released. The album featured collaborations with various artists and included the previously released single "Grandson For President."
On March 7, 2022, the music video for "Too Real" from King Von's posthumous album "What It Means to Be King" was released.
The music video for "Get it Done" from King Von's posthumous album "What It Means to Be King" was released on August 9, 2022, coinciding with what would have been his birthday.
The charges against Lil Durk related to the February 2019 shooting in Atlanta were dropped in October 2022.
In January 2023, King Von's manager announced the upcoming release of another posthumous project by the rapper, titled "Grandson."
On June 23, 2023, the single "Robberies" from King Von's posthumous album "Grandson" was released along with its music video.
On July 7, 2023, the single "Heartless," featuring Tee Grizzley, from King Von's posthumous album "Grandson" was released along with a visualizer.
King Von's third studio album and second posthumous work, "Grandson," was released on July 14, 2023.
Charges against Timothy Leeks, also known as Lul Timm, were dropped in August 2023. Leeks, who was suspected of being involved in the altercation that led to King Von's death, was cleared under Georgia's "stand-your-ground" law.