Dayvon Daquan Bennett, better known by his rap name King Von, was fatally shot outside an Atlanta nightclub on November 15, 2020 at only 26 years old.
Grandson was released as his debut mixtape in September 2019 with guest features by Lil Durk. Levon James followed suit later that March.
Unique Style
King Von’s unique style set him apart from other rappers. His fluid storytelling and unsettling sense of realism helped him connect with his audience and build a loyal following, while his raw yet authentic music had an enormously profound effect, inspiring an entire new generation of artists.
Born Dayvon Bennett, he was part of a generation of Chicago rappers that helped reinvigorate its hip-hop scene with songs about street life. Lil Durk noticed him and signed him to his Only the Family record label; through which they released two critically-acclaimed mixtapes: Grandson Vol. 1 and Welcome to O’Block respectively.
His captivating, aggressive style won over listeners and earned him the moniker “The Chicago Reaper.” Known for his fashion sense, including frequently wearing chains with “O’Block” or “OTF” written on them; casual outfits typically consisted of t-shirts, jeans and sneakers – becoming iconic to his genre.
Hard-Hitting Bars
King Von Autopsy is an emerging talent on Lil Durk’s Only the Family record label and has earned himself the moniker “Voice of Chicago” due to his ability to tell captivating street tales that connect with listeners. Here he menacingly raps about gun possession, drug dealing and other criminal activities with Booka600 and Memo600 as his backing musicians.
King Von is known for delivering vicious bars over an icy instrumental, often attacking enemies or asserting his authority in the neighborhood. His debut album Welcome to O’Block showcased his skills; one can see he was living what he wrote about.
On record, he exudes energy and presence that stands out. Additionally, his storytelling skill was once prevalent within the genre before it fell out of fashion; such storytelling techniques helped build iconic names such as Slick Rick and Scarface into household names.
Charisma
King Von was one of the most charismatic rappers in hip-hop. His charismatic energy and story-telling skills made him an unforgettable figure to both fans and critics alike. Even during a life full of violence and struggle, he never let it define him; rather he used his talent to help lift others up and uphold others through him.
Lil Durk noticed his skill at storytelling and signed him to his Only the Family imprint. His viral hit “Crazy Story” received millions of views on YouTube in 2018 alone – further propelling him into prominence.
Grandson Vol. 1 marked Von’s debut mixtape release in 2019, featuring Lil Durk as one of its featured artists. Levon James came out later that same year and continued the frantic brag-rap style that Von had become known for. Von used his intensity in storytelling to produce cinematic suspense with every bar; drawing inspiration from drill icons G Herbo and Chief Keef but adding his own personal flair that gave each song an endearing tone.
Master Storyteller
At one time, storytelling was an integral element of hip-hop rap music. Legendary rappers like Slick Rick, Scarface, and Biggie Smalls used storytelling as their calling card over entire songs. Unfortunately, today it is much rarer for rappers to capture our imagination with words alone.
King Von was an expert at packing his lyrics with detail and gripping narrative – just take a listen to his 2018 single, “Crazy Story”, to understand this statement.
King Von’s song recounts an eerie bank robbery with unexpected outcomes, while its accompanying video is just as captivating. Little wonder that Lil Durk signed him to Only the Family; he was an ideal studio presence who had potential to become one of drill music’s premier stars during his era. Beyond being an exceptional lyricist and fighting against injustice was another reason he was recruited into his collective.
