Beginning his career, from 2011 to 2012, Durk released his debut, un-official mixtape, I’m a Hitta which was released on August 26, 2011. On April 3, 2012, Durk released his sophomore mixtape, a sequel to his previous tape, I’m Still a Hitta. Durka later released his third mixtape on November 5, 2012, titled Life Ain’t No Joke
Like many drill artists, Durk’s early career was plagued with legal issues and accusations of violence. These issues eventually led to his shows being canceled.
From 2013 to 2015 Durk released a total of four projects, three mixtapes, and an album. October 10, 2013, marked the release of the first Signed to the Streets, one of Durk’s most notable mixtapes and the start of a series. In the summer of 2014, specifically July 4, Durk released a sequel to Signed to the Streets and released Signed to the Streets 2 featuring his “What You Do to Me”.
2015 would be an enormous year for Lil Durk as in July 2015, Durk released his debut studio album, Remember My Name which featured his Jeremih-assisted “Like Me.” Later that year, Durk released his sixth mixtape 300 Days 300 Nights which included his then-girlfriend, Dej Loaf-assisted, “My Beyoncé.”
From 2016 to 2017, Durk released a total of four solo projects and one collaborative project. On July 22, 2016, Durk released his sophomore studio album, Lil Durk 2X accompanied by features such as Future, Young Thug, Yo Gotti and more. Ending the year, Durk released They Forgot, his seventh mixtape.
Beginning 2017, in February, Durk released his seventh mixtape, Love Songs for the Streets, which is deemed as one of his most notable projects including features from Moneybagg Yo and YFN Lucci. Later that year in August, Durk released a collaborative EP with Lil Reese titled Supa Vultures; the project included his “Nobody Knows”. On October 19, 2017, Durk carried on with his Signed to the Streets series with the highly anticipated Signed to the Streets 2.5. The mixtape included the start of yet another song series titled “India” dedicated to his fiancé India Cox otherwise known as India Royale.
In 2018, Durk released two projects, he began with Just Cause Y'all Waited, Durk’s highest-charting mixtape peaking at #57 on the Billboard 200. Durk then released a sequel to Love Songs for the Streets titled Love Songs 4 the Streets 2. Durk was extremely successful prior to this album, however, many say that this exact album broke Durk into the mainstream rap industry as it had been his first project to chart in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.
2020 was an even better year for Lil Durk as he released his almost chart-topping Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 which peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. It was later followed up with a deluxe.
The scars of violence run deep in Durk’s discography, particularly arising from the loss of OTF members Nunu (Nuski) and King Von at the hands of gunfire. Both artists are commemorated on his album The Voice, for which a deluxe version was released in 2021.
Anointing himself as the voice of the streets, Durk followed up this project with the release of the collaborative album The Voice of the Heroes with Lil Baby which brought the Chicago native artist his first #1 album.
Marking his first solo #1 album, in March 2022, Lil Durk released a melodramatic take on the deaths of his loved ones through an album titled 7220. The album became Durk’s first solo project to top the charts.
I Know
Lil Durk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How I know if you die for me?
Know if you shoot for me?
How I know if you still love me? Yeah, yeah
How I know you won't steal from me?
Know you won't kill for me?
I know that you still love me, yeah, yeah
Feel like the love phony, gotta keep my gun on me, yeah, yeah
How I know you won't die for me?
Know you will ride for me, just don't ever lie to me, yeah, yeah
Thought I'd never see the day that you would switch up
Ain't no hard feelings, I'm wishin' you good luck
I can't lie, I miss your touch, you got that good love
I put diamonds on your hand, don't hold your fist up
How I know if I get jammed you gon' keep it real?
How you gon' say that I ain't solid? I ain't never squealed
If I die today, give it to my son, ain't writin' no will
All these thoughts inside my head, it got me poppin' pills
Runnin' with my steel, there's some niggas in the rear
If they get they chance they will
But I ain't worried, I'm gon' kill
I'm gon' drill every one of them
We gon' kill every one of them
How I know if you die for me?
Know if you shoot for me?
How I know if you still love me? Yeah, yeah
How I know you won't steal from me?
Know you won't kill for me?
I know that you still love me, yeah, yeah
How I know you won't turn on me?
Feel like the love phony, gotta keep my gun on me, yeah, yeah
How I know you won't die for me?
Know you will ride for me, just don't ever lie to me, yeah, yeah
One time to cross out Migo, he gon' take your life
So I don't understand how Plies ran off on the plug twice
And you can't remix none of that lean if it's not cut right
And you can't say you super trill 'cause you ain't cut right
Sex her once then kick her out 'cause I don't nut twice
The way that A$AP died don't sit in my gut right
And if we ever find the killer then he must die
And I'm always low on niggas, I don't trust high
I don't know if you gon' ride, don't know if you gon' slide
Don't know want me to die, I don't know if it's your pride
And if it is then hide it then
Me and Lil' Baby do it for the trenches, we gon' ride with them (for sure, for sure)
How I know if you die for me?
Know if you shoot for me?
How I know if you still love me? Yeah, yeah
How I know you won't steal from me?
Know you won't kill from me?
I know that you still love me, yeah, yeah
How I know you won't turn on me?
Feel like the love phony, gotta keep my gun on me, yeah, yeah
How I know you won't die for me?
Know you will ride for me, just don't ever lie to me, yeah, yeah
In Lil Durk's song "I Know", he questions the loyalty of those around him. He wants to know if his friends will die or shoot for him or turn on him. While he's been hurt before, he's also been loyal to those around him, and he wants to make sure they will do the same. Lil Durk is grappling with the fragility of personal relationships and how to trust others when loyalty is so hard to come by.
At the same time, Lil Durk is dealing with a lot of inner turmoil, which he expresses through his lyrics. He talks about drug use, death and his rocky relationship with others. He is also making references to other rappers such as Migos, Plies, and A$AP Rocky who have experienced their fair share of drama, death and controversy in their music careers. Lil Durk wants to make sure that he isn't caught up in any similar situations, but he's also cautious about relying too much on others.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Know" suggest that Lil Durk is wary of trusting people too much, but also yearns for true loyalty and friendship. The song is a reminder of how difficult it can be to navigate real-life relationships and how important trust and loyalty are in maintaining those relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
How I know if you die for me?
How can I be sure you would sacrifice your life for me?
Know if you shoot for me?
Do I have the assurance that you would use a gun to defend me?
How I know if you still love me? Yeah, yeah
How can I be certain that you still have passionate feelings for me?
How I know you won't steal from me?
Do I have the assurance that you won't take anything that belongs to me without permission?
Know you won't kill from me?
Are you someone who can be trusted not to take someone's life for the wrong reasons?
I know that you still love me, yeah, yeah
I am convinced that you still have deep feelings of affection for me.
How I know you won't turn on me?
Can I trust you to remain loyal to me even in tough and risky situations?
Feel like the love phony, gotta keep my gun on me, yeah, yeah
I sometimes feel like your love is fake, and that's why I always have to be armed to protect myself.
How I know you won't die for me?
Do I have the guarantee that you would be willing to lay down your life to defend me?
Know you will ride for me, just don't ever lie to me, yeah, yeah
I have confidence that you will support me through thick and thin, just don't ever deceive me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dominique Jones, Durk D. Banks, Willie Jerome Byrd
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adumodwa Xavane
2023 IT STILL SLAPS . U CAN FEEL DURK GIVIN ALL IN THEM PAIN SONGS
Yemen8
Who tf listening Durk in 2023? All school ganstas on Gomunkul 6 now ,
DonHovv
I played this one right here and never looked back
Tammi
Agreed....
Tammi
@Yemen8 Obviously you....
John Doe
@Yemen8 quit tryna be different goofy
E5 Mecca
3 years later still hitting 🔥
BWL Justus
with a blunt the song is perfect
10K. Tony
@BWL Justus ima roll up rq then 😂
4Real KB
@BWL Justus no 🧢