Lil Durk is still set to go before a Los Angeles jury next month in a federal murder-for-hire case, despite prosecutors’ attempt to delay the trial with new charges and evidence about alleged gang activity in Chicago.

Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on Tuesday (July 14) that the rapper (Durk Banks) will go to trial as scheduled on Aug. 20. During a hearing earlier in the day, where Billboard was present, the judge sharply admonished prosecutors for tacking on additional charges last month and then requesting to push back Durk’s already-delayed trial.   

In an original indictment from 2024, Durk is charged with putting a bounty on rival rapper Quando Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and collaborator King Von. Rondo was shot at a Los Angeles gas station in 2022 and survived, but another man was killed in the crossfire.

In June, prosecutors added new counts under the federal Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity (VICAR) statute, which broadly criminalizes violent gang activity. The updated indictment claimed that in addition to the Los Angeles murder, Durk ordered additional killings and other crimes through his Chicago-based Only the Family (OTF) label crew.

Lead prosecutor Ian Yanniello argued in court on Tuesday that the new VICAR counts are inextricably tied to the existing charges, since the Los Angeles murder was allegedly “done on behalf of a gang.” But Judge Fitzgerald said he views the new charges as a strategy, albeit a “no doubt clever” one, to bolster the case with separate incidents that look bad for Durk.

“You think you will have a better chance to win if the Chicago count is tried with the Los Angeles murder. That’s obvious,” the judge told Yanniello during the hearing. “You treat that as a feature. I treat that as a bug.”

Judge Fitzgerald said it would be “much simpler” to have one trial focused only on the Los Angeles murder, and then potentially hold a second trial later on the VICAR gang counts. He told Yaniello that if the government felt so strongly about including the Chicago gang-related evidence in the initial trial, they should have pushed for it earlier.

“You chose not to do that,” Judge Fitzgerald said to the prosecutor. “You had over a year… so I don’t want to hear more argument that the third superseding indictment is necessary to prove the Los Angeles murder.”

Durk vehemently maintains he’s innocent of all charges against him. His defense team has argued that the latest indictment is “lipstick on a pig” and “an acknowledgment of weakness.” One of Durk’s lawyers, Drew Findling, told the press after Tuesday’s hearing that Judge Fitzgerald got it right in his comments from the bench.

“It’s one of those days that makes it so rewarding to be a trial attorney,” said Findling. “We so appreciate the thoroughness that took place in that courtroom today.”

Millie Bobby Brown, Ice Spice and Lil Yachty recently hung out and formed one of the more random celebrity trios that fans didn’t expect to see together.

Ice Spice posted a clip on Tuesday (July 14) on TikTok while out to eat at a restaurant with the Stranger Things actress and Lil Boat, which saw the crew attempt the viral challenge to Drake’s “Shabang.”

“U know what we tried,” Ice Spice captioned the post. Each pops up at different times in the clip before a glass of wine “magically” appears in their hands.

Fans flooded the comment section, surprised to see Yachty, Brown and Ice Spice kicking it with one another. “Did i genuinely just see ice spice, lil yachty and millie bobby brown in the same video?” one person asked.

The trend’s taken off in the months since ICEMAN‘s arrival, and Drake even hopped on the challenge while out with a crew of women in June.

Ice Spice, Millie Bobby Brown and Lil Yachty each have their own history with the 6 God. Drake sparked a friendship with Ice Spice when her “Munch (Feelin’ U)” hit began to take off in 2022. The Bronx rapper attended OVO Fest that same year.

Millie Bobby Brown met Drake backstage at one of his Australia shows in 2017 and opened up to Access Hollywood about their friendship at the Emmy Awards in 2018. “I love him. I met him in Australia and he’s honestly so fantastic,” she gushed.

Drake was criticized for the age gap with the actress and he defended their friendship on For All the Dogs‘ “Another Late Night.” “Weirdos in my comments talkin’ ’bout some Millie Bobby, look/ Bring them jokes up to the gang, we get to really flockin’,” he raps on the track, which happens to feature an appearance from Lil Yachty.

Drake and Yachty first linked up on 2020’s “Oprah’s Bank Account” and the Atlanta rapper was a contributor to Drizzy and 21 Savage’s Her Loss project as well as the aforementioned For All the Dogs.

“Shabang” landed on Drake’s ICEMAN in May and debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and currently sits at No. 24.

Watch Ice Spice’s TikTok video with Millie Bobby Brown and Lil Yachty below.

Elena Rose is currently on the European leg of her Alma tour, but next week she’s back in the States, where she will join Karol G as the opening act of the Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour.

The Venezuelan artist will join Karol on select U.S. dates of the upcoming tour, officially announced today (July 14) by the Colombian superstar, a longtime friend and collaborator of Rose’s. 

“It was super organic. Karol invited us, and for me it was something super beautiful,” Rose tells Billboard. says Rose, who spoke to Billboard exclusively about joining the tour. “I think we already have several years of a valuable friendship where obviously we both have very hectic lives, but we always find a moment to hug each other, to ask each other how we are doing.” 

Rose will be La Bichota’s first guest on 10 U.S. stadium dates, which will kick off in Chicago with two shows on July 24 & 25. Following the announcement, she shared the news with fans in an Instagram video, expressing her excitement about joining Karol on tour.

In the clip, the singer is sitting backstage at a concert, wearing an LED mask, when Karol calls her. “Hi Mami. How beautiful, what you did at Coachella. You crushed it. Tell me how I can be useful,” Rose says when picking up the call. The artist proceeds to take off her mask while asking what cities she would be joining Karol on. After naming all 10 stops, one by one, she says on the phone, “I’m down, babe; let me grab my wings, and I’ll see you there. Kisses.” 

Rose spent years writing some of Latin music’s major hits, including Bad Bunny & Rauw Alejandro’s “Party” and Karol & Becky G’s “MAMIII,” with the latter star also set to join Karol on 10 other tour dates and Colombia singer Greeicy joining for three. 

In 2024, Rose released her debut EP En las Nubes — Con Mis Panas (In the Clouds — With My Pals), with the hit “Orión” peaking at No. 2 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart and climbing to No. 15 on the overall Latin Airplay chart. Following her breakout project, she released second EP Bendito Verano in 2025 and third EP No Quiero Que Se Acabe Este Bendito Verano in 2026. The latter made Billboard’s 26 Best Latin Albums of 2026 So Far list.

Rose, who is currently at the home stretch of her Alma tour, which kicked off in the U.S. in late 2025, with stops in nine cities — and a total of 11 stops in Europe — will make her way back to the United States after her final stop of the tour in Paris, on July 21. 

She is set to join Karol on the first night of the tour kickoff next Saturday.

“I feel like I’m going on tour with a friend and that I’m going to be able to not only celebrate her a lot — which I was already doing anyway, when they announced her tour, I even wrote to her like, ‘Girl, congratulations’ — but going with her now too,” says Rose. “These are learning experiences; these are giant productions that we have never done in that way. And although every stage for me is always a stadium, and I give all my love, now I am literally going to be there with her in this way.”

Other cities and dates where Rose will be a guest performer are Las Vegas (Aug. 7), Los Angeles (Aug. 14), Boston (Sept. 12), New York (Sept. 17), Atlanta (Sept. 24), Miami (Oct. 2), Tampa (Oct. 9) and Dallas (Oct. 15).