"So, 'Grandson'? What's the story behind that?"
"Shit, you gon' have to ask grandpa that. I will just be following in his footsteps."
"And... who is your grandpa?"
"You don't know?"
Whoever said that Atlanta was 'not bad' has clearly never set foot in any place that isn't the heart of it. If they did, they'd know that at around 60 miles south of the capital, the buildings get bad. The neighborhoods get worse.
The people themselves follow a few miles later.
There's a weather forecast on the radio, as the oddly cheerful voice of a presenter informs the general public that the rain will most definitely fall on Saturday. Von frowns upon hearing this because Durk won't be happy with the news. They had a small show planned, a treat for some of the street kids. Maybe this is an omen.
He's about to change the station when its signal goes off and all he can hear is static. But even static is better than the silence of the road, so Von keeps the radio on. At least, it's keeping him conscious. Going on a trip in the middle of summer, in a car worth more than most homes, in the middle of nowhere just because Asian had insisted and this was important, was a far cry from life back in the O.
He knows her well enough to understand that "important" means "wanting to get fucked until all she could do is scream 'fuck me'!" but still...
If Von was no longer tied down by an ankle monitor or sure he'd get good sex for doing this, he would tell her to fuck off. Don't fuck off.
The next ten days were gonna be HARD.
He could still remember the first time he saw her fine ass in New York without having to recall a full recollection. He was with Durk and Meek, balling out the gym no different than how they balled in the mall: iced out gold chains, charms, and bracelets flooded with VVS diamonds. The only thing they didn't have was six rings like MJ.
He didn't dare to actually holla at her that day, looking like a celebrity in her Gucci sunglasses, but he did get a glimpse of the future. She was gonna be his number one bitch and that was meant as a compliment not an insult to bitch number two. Well...Over the next couple of weeks, they flirted here and there- in the studio recording a song with Durk; at Durk's album release party- until he finally pulled up in her DM. They kicked it back and forth no soccer ball between them and discovered that they had a common goal. What's happening now is just happening.
Ever since he exited the motorway, Von has given up on looking out the window. There's nothing to be seen, the landscape hasn't changed for miles and it probably never will. What catches his attention from time to time is the parking ticket stuck to the window shield. It's covered with dust and bodies of dead insects. Helplessly, it flaps on the wind, all pink paper and dark ink. Ewe.
When he leans forward, his shirt peels off the leather seat, making an unattractive sound. A quarter-million-dollar air conditioner was no substitute for fresh air after you'd been locked up doing time. No matter how hot it was, Von preferred the warm breeze. Sweat and all. Beads of it roll down his forehead, his cheeks, all the way to his jawline and then they drip on his brand new Fear Of God sweatpants. Just fantastic.
This whole situation couldn't possibly be better. Not only is he driving down some forgotten road somewhere behind the motorway, but he's not sure where he's even going. Asian's instructions were of no help, her handwriting all over the place, completely unreadable. And Google Maps is fucking useless. Thanks.
Von slams his foot on the accelerator and the parking ticket flies away. That's one problem solved. Zooooom.
His Supreme bomber jacket is thrown over the passenger seat along with a map and a bottle of lukewarm water. Two empty cans of energy drinks and a candy wrapper are shoved in a plastic bag, ready to be thrown away. Von doesn't like littering. Something about those inmate litter crews on the highway.
The heat makes him drowsy and Von blinks as he swerves into another lane. It doesn't matter that he's driving on the wrong side of the road because he hasn't seen a single vehicle after he got off the highway as they exit some 60 miles south of Atlanta. Even if he did, chances were he'd play chicken just because he was bored out of his mind and happened to love chickens.
After another mile or two-three, he pulls over by the side of the road. Tires screech against gravel, dust engulfs the car in a veil of beige. He kicks the door open and gets out. As the fine particles of dust settle on the hood, he stretches his arms above his head. His joints crack in a tell-tale sign of fatigue. The sound resembles the breaking of bones; it's oddly familiar. He might miss it a little.
He looks around as he rolls up the sleeves of his Off-White hoodie. Sees nothing but mountains in the distance and dry grass surrounding him. The landscape is pitiful thanks to the drought. But it would be worse if he took his Ray-Ban sunglasses off. Behind the tinted lenses, everything looks a little colorless like a black and white picture. Reaching back inside the car, he grabs a semi-automatic from the glove compartment and slams the door shut. Keys left in the ignition the motor of his homie's Aventador rumbles, coughing like a chest cold. Durk's Lamborghini was sick as a patient. Von felt perfectly fine though.
Atlanta is not a city for the weak-minded. Or the weak, period.
Von knew that. He always had. But Atlanta is the hotspot for black rappers, and he would be a damn fool to pass up on that. Or a damn white boy.
Dayvon Daquan Bennett, born on the 9th day of August, in 1994, known professionally as King Von, was an American rapper from Chicago. He was signed to his oldest friend, Lil Durk's record label 'Only The Family' and Empire Distribution.
Why he moved all the way here from Chicago, Illinois. Looked stupid, at first. But it was working out, proving to be smarter than a 5th grader.
He was born in Chicago. He had six shitty half-siblings from his father and three marginally okay siblings from his mother, Taesha, who he was raised by. His father, Walter E. Bennett, known as Ada Park Silk, was in and out of his life due to his incarcerations. He was shot and killed when Von was 11. Von has paid tribute to his father in multiple songs, notably in the song "Exposing Me".
At 16, Von went to jail for the first time. This would only be the start of a long course of legal troubles for him. In 2014, he was accused of a shooting that killed one and wounded another. Von was eventually acquitted after a trial by jury. Subsequently, King Von took to rapping, collaborating with Lil Durk.
After fellow rapper Lil Durk signed King Von to his Only The Family label, Von released his single "Crazy Story" on December 6, 2018, and it became his breakout single.
On Valentine's Day 2019, Von's girlfriend, rapper Asian Doll, released a music video for her track about the artist, "Grandson," in which Von appeared. His appearance was purely owed to the fact that he bore the nickname, 'Grandson', seeing as many fans seemed to think David Barksdale (King Dave) was his grandfather. It's his own fault since he did joke about it one time. And a slew of others also wore the blame, since they joked about it oftentimes.
Bennett had two children and one on the way at the time of his death. He loved them beyond belief and could talk about them for hours if the opportunity arose. If he didn't, it's because he chose not to. Not everyone is everyone's business.
On November 21, 2012, he was arrested and booked into Cook County jail for unlawful possession of a firearm.
On July 24, 2014, Von was arrested in connection with a shooting in May 2014, resulting in the death of Malcolm Stuckey and the injury of two other men. Von was charged with 1 count of murder and 2 counts of attempted murder. The shooting took place at 5700 South Lasalle Street in Englewood, Chicago. After witnesses failed to testify, in 2017, all charges were dropped.
In June 2019, King Von and Lil Durk were arrested in connection with a shooting in Atlanta. Von, along with his co-defendant Durk, appeared before a judge in a Fulton County courtroom for a probable cause hearing. Prosecutors claimed the two men robbed and shot a man outside a popular Atlanta drive-in on February 5, 2019. After weeks in jail, the two rappers were released on $250,000 & $300,000 bonds, respectively.
In July 2021, Chicago Police released documents revealing that Von fatally shot Gangster Disciples member Gakirah "K.I." Barnes in 2014.
On November 6, 2020, at around 2:15 am, Bennett was involved in an altercation with Quando Rondo in an Atlanta nightclub. The dispute quickly escalated into gunfire, in which Bennett was shot multiple times. He was subsequently transported to a hospital in critical condition and died there later that day; he was 26 years old. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported that three people were killed. Four people were wounded; one of them was placed in police custody for the murder of King Von while being treated for a gunshot wound. The suspect was identified as Timothy Leeks, known as Lul Timm, aged 22. On November 14, 2020, King Von was buried in Chicago, Illinois.
During the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Bennett was included in the In Memoriam montage.
Now that we have all the facts, let's get into it. But first...
RIP King Von.
Continue the story by downloading this limited edition book in app store.
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