As Lil Durk’s federal murder-for-hire trial approaches the hands of the jury, Akademiks is giving the rapper’s attorneys their flowers, particularly Brian Steel, whose courtroom reputation was already formidable long before he entered Durk’s case.
“Brian Steel & Drew Findling were the ONLY two lawyers who could’ve saved Lil Durk,” Akademiks said, arguing that “the two heavyweight attorneys have done EVERYTHING they could to fight for Durk in the trial and now the rest is out of their hands.”
Steel’s presence carried immediate significance. The Atlanta criminal defense attorney famously represented Young Thug through Georgia’s sprawling YSL RICO prosecution. Young Thug later publicly revealed that he personally sent his longtime attorney to help Durk, bringing one of hip-hop’s most recognizable courtroom figures into another massive criminal trial.
Once inside the courtroom, Steel went directly after the government’s star witness, OTF Jam.
His cross-examination repeatedly returned jurors to Jam’s previous statements. Steel introduced recordings from earlier interviews with law enforcement in which Jam said Durk was not involved in the alleged hit and did not put money on rivals. That became particularly important as Steel attacked the evolution of Jam’s story and questioned whether his testimony was influenced by the possibility of receiving favorable treatment.
Steel also drilled into specific inconsistencies. Jam testified that Durk told alleged shooters to “go crazy” during a FaceTime call involving a Sprinter van headed toward Los Angeles. Steel confronted him with an earlier version in which Jam attributed the statement to “DD.”
The attorney challenged other pieces of Jam’s timeline, including a Georgia meeting Jam had not initially disclosed to investigators. He also confronted Jam over incorrectly describing Slutty as having been murdered when he was killed by law enforcement.
That relentless approach is familiar territory for Steel.
During Young Thug’s historic YSL case, Steel was held in contempt after refusing to reveal how he learned about a secret meeting involving the judge, prosecutors and a witness. Georgia’s Supreme Court later unanimously overturned the contempt finding. Young Thug eventually walked out of jail in 2024 after entering a non-negotiated plea that resulted in time served.
Steel’s résumé stretches well beyond celebrity clients. His career includes hundreds of published appellate opinions and dozens of reversals, along with state, federal and death penalty litigation. His reputation is built around exhaustive preparation and aggressive cross-examination, delivered through an unusually disciplined personality. Steel reportedly does not drink, smoke or curse, even substituting “the F-word” when profanity appears in courtroom transcripts.
Durk’s defense rested September 3.
Steel and Findling have made their arguments, attacked the government’s witnesses and put their alternative reading of the evidence before jurors.
Now Akademiks’ point becomes reality. The lawyers have done what they can. What happens to Lil Durk next is no longer theirs to decide.