The haunting persona of the "O‘Block ghost" has loomed large over Chicago drill music for over a decade. This specter is said to embody the spirits of deceased gang members who return seeking vengeance against live rivals. While largely mythical, one rapper truly embodied its chilling reputation – the late King Von.
Before his death at 26, King Von parlayed trauma and tragedy from the streets into impactful hip hop storytelling. But as an alleged triggerman behind multiple shootings, his actions also incurred a cycle of violence still felt today. To properly assess Von’s complex legacy, one must first understand the community that created him.
The Humanity Behind the Headlines in Parkway Gardens
The Parkway Gardens housing project, known as “O’Block” for its location on 64th & Martin Luther King Drive, has become shorthand for Chicago’s gang violence. But sensational media often overlooks the socioeconomic underpinnings and humanity in this community of over 10,000 residents.
Behind eye-catching headlines highlighting upwards of 500 shootings and 100 murders from 2010-2020, lies a community burdened by systemic poverty. Per the latest American Community Survey, nearly 50% of Parkway Gardens households report income below the Federal Poverty Level. The area also faces a scarcity of viable employment options, with nearly 1 in 5 adults unemployed.
These conditions foster an environment ripe for the drug trade and gang life to fill economic voids. They also restrict access to youth development programs that could curb violence. Children growing up here are conditioned to accept community violence as normal.
“I became numb to shootings by age 10,” says Ty, a teen resident. “I was mad at first, but now we just play ball when shots go off.”
While a subset perpetuate violence, most residents condemn it and simply strive for security to thrive. Misconceptions of O’Block as a warzone frustrate locals seeking basic opportunities others take for granted.
"People are scared to deliver food here without bulletproof trucks," laments elder resident Willa. “But we aren’t monsters. We want safety to build better lives."
This neglected side of O’Block – its humanity – often goes unseen due to chilling tales of retaliation tied to the “O’Block ghost.”
The Origins of Chicago‘s O‘Block Ghost Mythology
O‘Block saw minimal gang conflict for decades prior to 2010. But the assassination of rising Gangster Disciples member Rahym “Reezy” Robinson on 64th Street that year ignited a powder keg. His death was retaliation for the earlier murder of 15-year-old Shondale “Tooka” Gregory by Black Disciple-affiliated gunmen.
In response, Reezy’s associates sought vengeance on rivals near their territory. One reputed target assassinated weeks later was Walter “Chicago Barnes” Weaver – an influential leader among local Black Disciples.
Police suspected the triggerman that killed Barnes was Dayvon “King Von” Bennett, then a 17-year-old gang prospect. Von was famously nicknamed “Grandson” for the swift, brutal enforcement tactics he exhibited while avenging elders’ deaths.
In getting revenge for Reezy by violently "smoking" Chicago Barnes, Von made his bones – while also inviting future retaliation.
Sure enough, in 2011 Von allegedly participated in a drive-by shooting murder of Jakira “K.I.” Barnes, Chicago Barnes’ cousin seeking payback. This attack spawned Von’s “O’Block Ghost” moniker – the relentless, seemingly unstoppable specter who kept coming back to haunt enemies.
For years, King Von‘s ghost iconography floating around Parkway Gardens mortalized his lethal, ruthless ability to lurk in the shadows before striking unexpectedly. Songs later repped his "Grandson" persona and assassin traits.
But they also further instilled fear and kept the cycle of payback going. The legend of Parkway Gardens‘ “O’Block ghost” had fully manifested through King Von’s violent rise.
The Genesis of an O‘Block Antihero
While immortalized as a heartless specter haunting foes, King Von originated from vulnerable roots. He never fully recovered from the childhood trauma of losing his father, who passed unexpectedly when Von was just 7.
As one of 15 siblings stretched thin emotionally and financially, he gravitated to the streets. Gang life fostered the family connection and economic means absent at home. Impressionable peers pressured Von as the tough, fearless "Grandson" ideally built for the underworld.
"I got my name ‘Grandson’ from being an enforcer," Von reflected. "Whatever the elders told me to do, I did…If they said smoke somebody, I did that.”
Indeed, Von accumulated a heavy rap sheet racking up drug, weapons and robbery charges during his youth. He cycled through juvenile detention and jail stints constantly, but kept advancing the Disciples’ interests whenever possible.
Behind bars in 2012 after the K.I. Barnes murder indictment however, Von gravitated back towards childhood passions like music and poetry. He honed his writing craft and vocal chops into cutting raps depicting graphic street life.
Fellow incarcerated Chicago MC G Herbo discovered Von‘s talents and suggested he pursue music seriously. The co-sign attracted interest from rap star Lil Durk upon Von‘s shock 2015 acquittal and release.
King Von‘s Rap Dreams Cut Short
Losing so many years to prison, King Von was anxious to manifest visions of rap glory once freed. But his open legal cases still mandated ankle monitoring and movement restrictions during early music-making strides.
Mentor Lil Durk thus graciously let Von stay at his house to record undistracted. The makeshift studio spawned breakout singles like “Crazy Story,” “War Wit Us” and “Eat Freestyle” introducing Von‘s jarring, straight-shooting storytelling.
"Von had a hunger to turn nothing into something," Durk explained of their bond. "He knew what it took to get there, so I pushed him to go hard."
In 2018, Von joined Durk‘s Only the Family imprint, which amplified his profile. His blistering, bluntly authentic flows about shootouts, suspicion and survival in Chiraq resonated loudly. Von struck a balance between technically sharp lyricism and organic grit befitting his origin story.
“King Von had a way with words that struck emotion," saysChicago radio DJ Pharris. "He could intricately depict street life as both alluring and ugly."
Von‘s gifts culminated in his massively successful November 2020 debut album Welcome to O‘Block. It peaked at #13 on Billboard charts, indicating mainstream traction. Tragically however, Von was killed in Atlanta the same week during a scuffle with rap rival NBA Youngboy‘s crew.
Just like that, Chicago lost a poetic street reporter whose music provided a gateway to understanding communities like Parkway Gardens. At only 26 with limitless potential, Von‘s sudden murder left collaborators and fans devastated.
"That boy was on his way to being better than all of us," lamented co-signer Lil Durk. "He‘s really a king and will never die. Long live King Von!"
The Haunting Impact of King Von‘s Legacy
In the years since his passing, King Von‘s duality as both alleged merciless assassin and revered community spokesperspn continues to trigger debate. His self-described "evil" reputation stemming from body counts and ghosts haunting Chicago stirs unease.
Yet Von also positively impacted many impressionable listeners by demonstrating one can overcome system hurdles. His music offered a portal intohumann sides of marginalized areas like Parkway Gardens that few depict genuinely. This complexity forever complicates his legacy.
While no angels, most Parkwway Gardens residents relate to Von‘s story on some level beyond just violence. His creativity symbolized aspirations to elevate out of danger, even if choices don‘t always show it.
In neighborhoods where survival is not guaranteed, Von voiced universal themes of struggle, fear and tryingone‘s hardest against all odds. His candid episodes provide insight on environments that shape "ghosts" and killers. They also re-humanize communities easy to neglect as mere war zones like O‘Block.
Regardless of whether one heralds King Von the artist or condemns King Von the alleged assassin, his duality underlines issues often ignored. There are systemic roots perpetuating violence in marginalized neighborhoods.
And until we confront these to foster security and opportunities for disenfranchised groups, the tragic cycle Von fell into will continue claiming future talents ahead of their time. That chilling prospect is perhaps Von‘s most resonant ghostly impact beyond just Chicago.
For better or worse, the perpetual lore surrounding Parkway Gardens’ tormented “O’Block Ghost” found embodiment in King Von. His outlook reflected both aredeeming spirit aspiring towards brighter days, and a vengeful specter unable to fully break free from darkness.