How did Lil Durk get his start in music? Rapper was once signed to Def Jam before signing to Alamo Records

Lil Durk, the Chicago-based rapper who won his first Grammy in February this year, was arrested last week, on October 24. Durk, who was near the Miami airport at the time of his arrest, was charged with alleged murder-for-hire. His arrest came alongside the other OTF members, Kanyon Grant, Keith Jones, Deandre Wilson, Asa Houston, and David Lindsey.

This is not the first criminal charge against the 3 Headed Goat rapper. He served time for possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number back in October 2011, at the beginning of his rap career.

Lil Durk debuted in the world of rap in 2010 as an independent artist and was signed to Def Jam Recordings two years later. In 2018, the rapper left Def Jam to join Alamo Records, the record label he was signed to at the time of his arrest.

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Lil Durk announced his departure from Def Jam in 2018

Lil Durk started his rap career with a freestyle rap over an instrumental version of Gucci Mane's Wasted, releasing it as Lamron Wasted in 2010. After two years of making music independently, Lil Durk decided to sign with Def Jam.

Talking about his new record label deal with Complex on April 25, 2012, the rapper remarked how Lil Reese and him were the first acts from Chicago to be signed by Def Jam directly; not under any other imprint or involving any middleman.

A year later, Lil Durk released his fourth mixtape, Signed To The Streets, in October 2013. His fifth mixtape, Signed To The Streets 2, was also released through Def Jam in July 2014.

The Pelle Coat rapper also released two studio albums, Remember My Name (2015) and Lil Durk 2X (2016), with the record label. During his final year at Def Jam, he released four mixtapes: two solo projects and two collaborations with Lil Reese and Tee Grizzley.

On March 29, 2018, the No Auto Durk rapper told Billboard about his decision to leave Def Jam, adding:

"I’ve been with Def Jam Records for five years and they gave me my first recording contract so for that I’m forever grateful. But I’m a different artist than I was five years ago, and the time is right for a change."

Durk continued:

"At the same time, Def Jam is making changes in their offices and trying a new direction. I didn’t want to be a part of another regime change."

Following his departure, the 32-year-old released his first official mixtape as an independent artist, Just Cause Y'all Waited.

Three months after he departed from Def Jam, Durk announced that he was signing with Alamo Records.

On July 27, 2018, the Petty Too rapper told Billboard that Alamo Records made him feel like a "top priority," which was the main reason behind signing with them. Durk also called the deal offered by the record label "lovely," adding:

"My team and I went a whole year and a half where we basically did everything on our own. It made us stronger. Now that Alamo and Interscope partnered with us, the sky is the limit for sure."

Following his partnership with Alamo, Lil Durk's much-anticipated third studio album, Signed To The Streets 3, became his first full-length release with the label. A follow-up of his 2014 mixtape, the album dropped on November 9, 2018.

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According to Rolling Stone, Lil Durk is currently being held in the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida as he awaits his trial.