Lil Durk is playing the long game. Since his emergence in the early 2010s with projects like I’m Still A Hitta, his dedication and persistence have fueled his goal for longevity in hip-hop. He’s leaped through hurdles from his days with French Montana’s Coke Boyz, to inking his first major-label deal with Def Jam, which went awry after two albums. The transition from vanity label to major imprint can sometimes prove fruitful for artists, though that wasn’t the case. He parted ways with Def Jam and inked a deal with Alamo in search of a partner to help establish the OTF empire. The journey that turned Durk into an honorary Atlantan has taken him from the volatile circumstances of Chicago’s South Side to across the globe. However, at the core of his being is his hometown of Chicago.
For the glitz and glam, the glory and the pain, Durk reverts back to his roots in 7220 – an extensive look into the rapper’s origin story. The project’s title derives from Durk’s grandmother’s house where he was raised – the starting point for Durk’s tale. Sorrowful piano chords strike on “Started From,” a pain-ridden intro that paints Durk’s beginnings. “7220’s like my grandma address. I got a whole story I wanna get off my chest,” he says before opening the doors to the three-bedroom home that housed him, his cousin Nuski, and six other family members. It’s a retrospective piece that documents the trauma of his youth and the individuals that played significant roles in his life, whether or not they were actively present during his childhood.
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Durk’s glossed over these stories over the years, but as he steps in front of a much broader audience, 7220 serves as an outlet where he can take control of narratives that have transcended hip-hop blogs and Instagram pages, TMZ headlines, and Google Trends. 7220 offers Durk’s backstory from the perspective of overcoming adversity, underlining the maturity of a newly engaged 29-year-old man with more to lose than ever before. It’s evident on “Shootout @ My Crib” where Durk offers an in-depth response to headlines regarding the home invasion last summer. Gun-toting bars remain rampant throughout the project, but for those who’ve taunted him to return to his old ways, Durk strikes back with the cognizance of a breadwinner facing higher stakes than simply losing internet debates. “I just deadass had a shoot-out at my crib, I hired guards/ I ain’t sittin’ down in jail doin’ life, I’m bein’ smart,” he raps with a distinct self-awareness on the hook.
From being one of the most accessible features in rap before Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later,” he’s pivoted his golden touch to procuring the most top 40 hits on the Hot 100 in 2021. However, in the midst of his glow-up, Durk faced numerous tragedies in his personal life, from the death of King Von, and the fatal shooting of DThang just weeks before the home invasion. “Love Dior Banks” is an intimate glimpse into Durk’s patriarchal role, and adds even more context to the weight he carries as a provider, not only for his kids but now, his nieces and nephews. “Love Dior Banks” opens with an acapella intro from DThang’s daughter who reflects on the death of her father. Durk rummages through the early stages of grief with inflections of despair in his tone as he sings, “Look up and pray in my palms/ Hold your brother in your arms, never let him go.”
Durk’s versatility became his strong suit long ago but it’s an aspect he’s further honed in on. “Different Is” ft. Summer Walker continues Durk’s streak as one of R&B’s strongest allies outside of the genre, while the Morgan Wallace-assisted “Broadway Girls” is as cringy as it is infectious. Durk dives even deeper into the country-trap-infused sound on “Grow Up/Keep it On Speaker,” where he contorts his vocals in a way that bears similarity to Young Thug on Beautiful Thugger Girls.
7220 remains Durk’s most cohesive project to date as he refines the winning formula that made projects like Love Songs For The Streets such a success early on. There are the adrenaline-rushing moments of songs like “Pissed Me Off” and “AH HAAAA,” where he issues blanket warnings to his enemies. Then, there are songs like “Headtaps” where he accentuates the pain and struggle of poverty and addiction with the underlining message of perseverance.
Durk’s music remains an open book to his life, a glossy diary filled with confessionals and fantasies. In the past few years, Durk’s stepped into his superstar status, turning pain-riddled melodies into top 40 smashes that have been minted by Grammy nominations. 7220 puts Durk’s strengths on display – the high-octane gritty delivery when he commits to drill, or the TMI-riddled croons that have produced captivating earworms – without showing signs of crashing anytime soon.
