TW: This story includes descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some readers.
7220 is more than just a number for Lil Durk. It’s a meaningful symbol that represents finding light despite all the darkness in the world. In his seventh studio album, “7220,” the Chicago-based rapper vocalizes his personal definition of the number and its impact on his journey through the streets of Chicago.
The number 7220 is part of his grandmother’s address in Chicago, where Durk and his extended family formerly called home. Growing up in this household shaped him into the person he is today, which is reinforced in the project.
Durk’s endless array of accomplishments allowed him to escape a corrupted and impoverished past into a world of fortune. For instance, his last album “The Voice of the Heroes,” a full-length collaboration with Lil Baby, was the #1 album on the US Billboard 200 chart. As a result of his growing platform, Durk had the impulse to serve as a voice for people with similar backgrounds.
“7220″ consists of shadowy piano instrumentals that are frequently used in prior projects to highlight the gloominess and apparent darkness of a poverty-stricken life. In the opening track “Started From,” Durk exhibits the hardships of growing up in Englewood, a city on the south side of Chicago that is infamous for its alarmingly high crime rate.
One powerful line from the opening track is “The funeral home, they know me personally ‘cause I gave ‘em payments/The police department, they know you personally ‘cause you gave ‘em statements.” This assertion by Durk is a representation of a life without the necessary guidance from your surroundings. Durk conveys the idea that in this world, you are who you choose to be. However, sometimes not everyone is given a choice.
Living in Englewood, Durk experienced constant police brutality and experienced the loss of loved ones to gang violence - his brother Dontay Banks was killed in a shooting. As shown by his lyrics, constant loss and violence became normal for him. Durk was never given the opportunity to break away from this distress until he put pen to paper. His transparent success and devotion to expressing his voice create the sense that rapping feels more like a necessity than a choice.
In the track “Federal Nightmares,” on the back half of the album, Durk repeatedly screams “Now I’m havin’ federal nightmares” to emphasize the strenuous experience of having your fate decided in a courtroom. Durk has dealt with crime in his past. For example, he was arrested for attempted murder in 2019 but was eventually released on bond. “I ain’t understand life, so it ain’t hurt me at first,” he painfully explains on the track. As a result of growing up in such a ruthless area, violence was normalized at a young age and quickly became a necessary mentality for Durk. The idea that someone’s environment inherently affects who they become become is highlighted throughout the album.
Although the sounds of “7220″ are played out by his previous work, this project sheds more light on his emotional path to stardom than ever before. Durk’s ability to illustrate an entire chapter of his life in one lyric is unparalleled. Bar after bar, line after line Durk continues to add pages to the novel that is his life. And there’s still so much more to the story.
“7220″ is now available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming services.