King Von

Dayvon Daquan Bennett was raised mostly by his mother in Parkway Garden Homes on Chicago's South Side, an area commonly known as O'Block. He grew up around rappers Lil Durk and Chief Keef, and his early experiences in Chicago's drill scene later shaped both his music and public identity. He used the aliases Von, Grandson, and V.Roy.

Bennett faced legal trouble as a teenager. At 16, he entered juvenile detention for armed robbery and earned his GED while incarcerated. He later attended classes at South Suburban College before leaving. In 2014, he was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with a Chicago shooting. After spending more than three years in Cook County jail, he was acquitted in December 2017.

After his release from jail in December 2017, Bennett began pursuing music professionally. Lil Durk signed him to Only the Family, also known as OTF, and Von appeared on the 2018 compilation Lil Durk Presents: Only The Family Involved. His early releases included "Beat Dat Body," "War With Us," and "Problems."

"Crazy Story," released on December 6, 2018, became his breakout single. The track reached number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and established the narrative style that became central to his work. Von followed it with "Crazy Story 2.0," featuring Lil Durk, and "Crazy Story Pt. 3."

His first mixtape, Grandson, Vol. 1, was released in September 2019. It included collaborations with Lil Durk and Booka600, debuted at number 75 on the Billboard 200, and later peaked at number 53. Von and Lil Durk also released the collaborative single "Like That" in 2019.

Von released "Took Her to the O" in February 2020, and the song became one of his most successful singles. It appeared on his second mixtape, Levon James, which was released in March and featured artists including NLE Choppa, Tee Grizzley, G Herbo, Lil Durk, and YNW Melly. The mixtape reached number 40 on the Billboard 200 after debuting at number 63.

His debut studio album, Welcome to O'Block, arrived on October 30, 2020. The 16-track project included appearances by Lil Durk, Polo G, Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, and Dreezy, with production from Chopsquad DJ, Tay Keith, Wheezy, and Hitmaka. The album was framed around Von's Chicago neighborhood and his experiences with poverty, violence, and the criminal justice system.

Welcome to O'Block peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Independent Albums charts. Von died one week after its release.

Music continued to be released after Von's death. He appeared on Only the Family's 2021 compilation Loyal Bros and on Lil Durk's album The Voice, including the song "Still Trappin'." Posthumous music videos included visuals for "Lurkin," "Wayne's Story," "Armed & Dangerous," "Mine Too," and "Demon."

His second studio album, What It Means to Be King, was released in March 2022 through Empire Distribution and Only the Family. The album featured G Herbo, 21 Savage, Fivio Foreign, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Durk, Tee Grizzley, and other artists. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, giving Von his highest album position.

The posthumous album Grandson was released in July 2023. It included appearances by Lil Durk, Polo G, Tee Grizzley, G Herbo, Moneybagg Yo, Tink, 42 Dugg, and others. The album reached number 14 on the Billboard 200.

Von was associated with Chicago drill, trap, and gangsta rap. His music was distinguished by vivid narrative writing, sharp wordplay, an urgent sing-song delivery, and an aggressive vocal style. His lyrics often drew from his lived experiences and portrayed neighborhood life, poverty, violence, humor, and the effects of incarceration.

Songs such as "Crazy Story" and "Took Her to the O" demonstrated his use of dialogue, detailed scenes, and connected episodes. Critics praised his ability to construct coherent stories while balancing nihilism, empathy, and humor. His storytelling was also shaped by urban novels he read during his incarceration, including works by Sister Souljah and Ashley & JaQuavis.

Von cited Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame, Twista, Kanye West, G Herbo, Lil Bibby, and Lil Durk among his influences. He was also recognized for helping expand the Only the Family collective alongside Lil Durk.

On November 6, 2020, Von became involved in an altercation between two groups outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge in Atlanta. The dispute escalated into gunfire at approximately 3:00 a.m., and Von was shot multiple times. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died later that day.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that two people were killed and six were wounded in the wider incident. Timothy Leeks, a rapper affiliated with Quando Rondo, was arrested in connection with Von's death, but the charges against Leeks were dropped in 2023 under Georgia's stand-your-ground law. Von was buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, on November 14, 2020.

Von was included in the In Memoriam montage at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. In August 2021, artist Chris Devins painted a mural of him on a wall overlooking Martin Luther King Drive near Parkway Gardens, the Chicago neighborhood where Von was raised.

The mural became the subject of debate among Chicago residents, with some arguing that it glorified gang violence. It was removed from Parkway Gardens on November 29, 2024.