The King Von meme involves a compilation of clips from celebrities and gang members talking about the late rapper's violent past. King Von was questioned by police or arrested over at least three shootings, two of which were fatal, leading those who knew him to refer to King Von as "death" and "one of Satan's greatest soldiers."
Years after King Von himself was shot to death during an altercation, TikTok users began to make compilations out of these clips, which then spread to other social media platforms where they reached meme status.
King Von, born Dayvon Daquan Bennett, was an American rapper from Chicago affiliated with the local Black Disciples gang before he died in 2020. His singles "Crazy Story" and "Took Her to the O" reached triple platinum status in 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Bennett suffered from a troubled youth, earning his GED in juvenile detention after his conviction for armed robbery at age 16. In 2014, police questioned him about two separate fatal shootings and arrested him for the latter one. He remained in jail until a court acquitted him in 2017, after which he began his music career.
He was arrested once more for another shooting in 2019 and released on bond but was shot during a fight outside of a hookah lounge in Georgia on Nov. 6, 2020, and died in the hospital at age 26.
His violent history and reputation earned him respect among fellow rappers and gangsters, fueling his short career in drill music as well as the memes that would follow years later.
Years after his death, those who knew him would continue to speak of King Von as though he were the devil himself. In 2022, on the DJ Akademiks podcast, rapper and YouTuber NLE Choppa spoke on how Bennett did his dirty work.
"Bruh, he was death, bruh," said Choppa. "If he wanted you outta there, he'd go do it himself on feet by himself. He was death."
@frmdao_otf6465 #chills #satan #nlechoppa #kingvon #interview #llkv #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound - frmdao_otf6465
This and Charleston White calling him "one of Satan's greatest soldiers" appeared in a TikTok compilation created by user @frmdao_otf6465 and posted on Jan. 17, 2023, which went viral with millions of views. This inspired others to create new and expanded versions, taking clips from yet more interviews.
On May 3, 2024, Twitter user @LeBeauJauneRoi reposted one of these compilations and joked that it made him cry. By June, people were using the video to ascribe demon status to other individuals, including fellow artists or athletes.
On Reddit, a thread from September gathered memes joking about King Von having anime-level power and residing in Hell. Meanwhile, TikTok users continued to play with the interview compilations, comparing him to video game streamers or acting out their fake interviews about the late rapper.
The anniversary of Bennett's death as well as multiple bits of news involving his name likely led to a resurgence in King Von memes in Nov. 2024.
In the week after Election Day, Chicago news outlets reported that someone had removed a mural of the rapper from the side of the Parkway Supermarket, where it had been since 2021. Fans reacted with disappointment and outrage, with some calling for a replacement.
Around the same time, federal agents hit rapper Lil Durk with new charges related to an alleged assassination plot against the man who shot and killed King Von. These two artists were close friends and Durk reportedly had some trouble dealing with the loss.
@jaypierlis King Von had em shook. #kingvon #kingvonfrmdao #oblock #chicago #fyp #fypシ #foryou ♬ original sound - JayPierlis
@.mrbeep King von is literally the devil himself???????????? #fyp #kingvon #bloodborne #bloodbornememe #oblock #bloodbornegameplay ♬ original sound - Genius
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The post ‘He was death’: The King Von meme recalls his violent legacy appeared first on The Daily Dot.
