LaShawnda Woodard, the mother of rapper Lil Durk, has opened up about the guilt and past trauma she carries as a parent, saying she blames herself for the death of one son and the legal troubles facing another.
Speaking on the #ifyouknewbetter podcast hosted by Amber Grimes, Woodard said she regrets not following her own mother’s advice to complete her education, secure a stable career and move her children away from Chicago’s 7220 neighbourhood.
Woodard said she believes remaining in the neighbourhood for too long exposed her children to an environment that shaped their upbringing.
“I feel like everything that has happened is my fault. I blame myself for my son getting killed, and I blame myself for my son being locked up,” Woodard said.
Chicago rapper Lil Durk’s mom says she blames herself for DThang’s murder, and Smurk being locked up “I know for a fact I could’ve did better, and I didn’t. Yes, I failed them.” https://t.co/D2fFwyKZi0
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) September 13, 2026
She recalled her mother urging her to finish school and build a career so she could move her family away from the neighbourhood.
“I just kept putting it off and if I would have listened like I was supposed to, we would have been somewhere totally [different]. They would have been raised different and I feel everything would have been better. So I take accountability for everything,” she added.
Woodard also spoke about surviving sexual assault as a teenager, saying the trauma contributed to depression that followed her into adulthood and affected how she viewed herself and her experiences.
During the conversation, Grimes encouraged Woodard to show herself more compassion and distinguish between accepting responsibility and carrying guilt for things beyond her control.
Woodard’s comments come amid difficult experiences for the family. Her eldest son, Dontay “D-Thang” Banks Jr., was shot and killed outside a Chicago nightclub in June 2021.
Her younger son, rapper Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, was recently acquitted of federal murder-for-hire charges in a case that had kept him in custody.
A courtroom clip showed the rapper sitting alongside his longtime partner, India Royale, and family members shortly before the verdict was delivered.
Despite the acquittal, Lil Durk remains in custody pending a separate federal case scheduled to begin on October 5. He faces racketeering and other federal charges in that case.
Woodard’s emotional account has drawn messages of support online, with fans reflecting on the challenges of raising children in disadvantaged and violence-affected neighbourhoods.
The 7220 neighbourhood also inspired Lil Durk’s 2022 album of the same name.