King Von: A Chicago Legend

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Davion Briley

If you’re a fan of rap music or anything related to rap culture, you would know that 2020 has been an ultimately rough year. This year just got a whole lot worse with the unfortunate passing of Chicago native/rapper King Von. 

King Von, born as Dayvon Bennet, was shot and killed after an altercation broke out at a hookah lounge in Atlanta early Friday morning on November 6, 2020. The hip hop world seems like it has come to a stand still. We have lost yet another young star to the streets.

King Von is most famously known for his Chicago drill rap style and his rap flow where it doesn’t always seem like he’s rapping. The rap industry calls it a ¨Storytime flow.¨ Ever since his breakout single dropped back in 2018 titled ¨Crazy Story¨, Von was signed to a label with his closest friend, rapper Lil Durk. Since the signing, Von has dropped three albums, two from 2020 alone. 

He may not be in everyone’s top ten list, but in Chicago,  Von is an icon. If you’re familiar with life in Chicago, you know it can get pretty hectic. This year alone, 673 people have been killed in Chicago. That is 209 more than last year. To make it out of that city is a rather big accomplishment. 

Von not only made it out with his unique sound and delivery, he was paving ways for others around him. After his passing, a video surfaced on social media of King Von when he first blew up with a group of his friends handing out bands of money to them, a group of at least 10-15 people. That act alone shows you the type of person Dayvon was.

The rapper will not only be missed by fans but also his two kids now won’t be able to grow up with a father. He will forever be missed and his family will be doing their part to keep his legacy going. A statement was released by the rapper’s family on November 18 in two parts. Part one started ¨Thank you to everyone who has showed their outpouring of love for King Von. You all played a massive role in Von’s accomplishments, and by continuing to play his music and sharing your stories about how he has inspired and influenced you all, you’re keeping his legacy alive.¨

Part two continues with ¨To celebrate Vons artistry, vision, and the immense love that he had for his fans, we will be continuing his roll out of Welcome to O´Block (his album that dropped one week before his passing), while working to share unreleased music and interviews that he devoted his creativity into completing. Von had also been working on new endeavors that we will be announcing down the line.¨

All in all, cherish the time you have with your friends and family. You never know what can happen in this world anymore.