EXCLUSIVE: Read Jay-Z’s Personal Appeal For Lil Durk’s Release

Jay-Z urged a federal judge to release Lil Durk on bond, describing an artist who helped young musicians build careers beyond their neighborhoods.

His October 12 letter accompanied a defense filing asking Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald to reconsider Durk’s continued detention.

“I met Durk several years ago. He was kind, respectful and focused on his career. He approached his work with seriousness and discipline. He was also genuinely curious about deepening his spirituality, and he spoke about faith as something he wanted to grow in, not something he wore for show,” Jay-Z explained.

“What stood out most to me was how he used his success. Durk was signing young artists from his community to recording contracts and giving them a real path into a legitimate industry. Many of us come from neighborhoods where the options are limited and the risks are high. Durk understood that, and he worked to help others find a way out of those conditions rather than leaving them behind.”

Durk entered federal custody in October 2024 over accusations he financed a Los Angeles attack targeting Quando Rondo two years earlier.

Prosecutors alleged the August 19, 2022 shooting was retaliation for King Von’s November 2020 killing during a confrontation involving Quando’s associate.

Quando survived the attack, but gunmen killed his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, near the Beverly Center shopping mall.

Jurors returned not-guilty verdicts on all five counts on September 11, 2026, ending the first trial without a conviction against Durk.

Durk remains jailed on separate murder-in-aid-of-racketeering and firearm counts, with prosecutors alleging Only The Family rewarded acts of violence against rivals.

That case includes allegations about Stephon Mack’s January 2022 killing in Chicago; Durk has pleaded not guilty to the pending charges.

Defense lawyer Drew Findling addressed that verdict in the footage below, before Jay-Z’s letter became part of the latest bond application.

“I also note that Durk recently stood trial in this District, and a jury found him not guilty. That verdict deserves weight. He remains presumed innocent of the charges still pending, and I respectfully submit that the jury’s verdict, together with that presumption, supports giving him the opportunity to await trial at home under whatever conditions the Court considers appropriate.”

His lawyers offered future music and branding earnings as security, along with the residence his mother occupies and assets pledged by friends.

Sony Music Entertainment backed a guarantee capped at $1 million, while prosecutors opposed release and Robinson’s family left the decision to the court.

“I do not minimize the seriousness of the charges Durk faces, and I respect the Court’s obligation to protect the community. However, Durk has now spent nearly two years in custody with his remaining trial not set to begin until August 2027. Release would allow him to support his family and continue the work in his community that I saw firsthand.”