King Von, Rising Chicago Rapper, Dies at 26

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King Von, the rising Chicago rapper born Dayvon Bennett, has died at the age of 26, a person familiar with the situation told SPIN.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, two groups of people were fighting outside of Atlanta’s Monaco Hookah Lounge. Someone in one of the groups began shooting, and two off-duty police officers intervened.

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Von was the victim of gunshot wounds sustained during a fight that escalated into a shootout.

“That physical altercation escalated into an exchange of gunfire with those groups,” Atlanta police Deputy Chief Timothy Peek told the AJC. “Two police officers who were working at that particular [lounge] noticed the altercation and engaged some of the people involved. There was an exchange of gunfire with police as well.”

According to a statement provided by the Atlanta Police Department, three suspects with gunshot wounds were transported to the hospital by EMS. Three others left the scene and were taken to the hospital by private vehicles. APD also confirmed that three gunshot victims died.

Though initial police reports did not name Von, a police dispatch recording circulating on social media suggest Von was shot by police. According to DJ Akademiks, who allegedly spoke with King Von’s manager, Von was one of the critically injured and has since passed away. Von’s manager, via Akademiks, said that he was not shot by police. EMPIRE A&R Mark Buol, who worked closely with Von, posted a eulogy to his Instagram this morning.

Raised on O-Block, which the Chicago Sun-Times called “the most dangerous block in Chicago,” King Von spent his life surviving the horrors of Chicago and the prison system. Despite those obstacles, he emerged as one of the most promising talents in the post-drill wave of Chicago rap. A remarkably gifted storyteller, his singles “Crazy Story” and “Took Her to The O” (Levron James) were captivating street narratives that toed the line between fact and fiction. SPIN spotlighted Von’s music in Blue Chips, our monthly hip-hop column, in May. This October, Von released his EMPIRE debut, Welcome to O Block.

See a statement from Empire, Von’s record label, below.

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