DJ Akademiks and Chud the Builder Feud Reignites Amid Lil Durk Trial

DJ Akademiks and Dalton Eatherly, the controversial livestreamer known as Chud the Builder, reignited their ongoing public feud on social media in September 2026 after Eatherly called out Akademiks amid the federal murder-for-hire trial of rapper Lil Durk. Akademiks had become a focal point of the trial after prosecutors used a clip from his “Off The Record” podcast as alleged evidence, and Eatherly seized on the moment to accuse Akademiks of hypocrisy.

The exchange is the latest chapter in a conflict that stretches back to early 2026 and includes a courthouse shooting in Tennessee, an attempted murder charge against Eatherly, multiple arrests, and Akademiks publicly taking credit for Eatherly’s legal troubles. This article covers the full timeline of the feud, the Lil Durk trial connection, and the legal situations both individuals currently face.

What Sparked the September 2026 Exchange

The latest round of the feud began after prosecutors in the Lil Durk federal murder-for-hire trial used a clip from Akademiks’ “Off The Record” interview with the rapper as alleged evidence. Prosecutors pointed to Durk’s comments about no longer hearing “slide for Von” remarks, framing it as an admission connected to the alleged plot.

Chud TheBuilder and DJ Akademiks go off on each other. pic.twitter.com/DSxrc9UiMR

— No Jumper (@nojumper) September 11, 2026

Akademiks reacted publicly on his podcast, arguing that federal prosecutors had put his life in danger by tying his name to a supposed “murder confession” without contacting him beforehand. That reaction went viral.

Eatherly responded on X, accusing Akademiks of hypocrisy. He wrote that Akademiks had previously been comfortable encouraging consequences for others but was now uncomfortable when legal attention turned toward him. Akademiks clapped back, writing that the last time Eatherly had engaged with him online, Eatherly had been arrested the following day.

Neither exchange involved new factual revelations. The dispute was primarily a public back-and-forth over perceived double standards, with each party accusing the other of inconsistency.

Who Is DJ Akademiks

DJ Akademiks, whose real name is Livingston George Allen, is a Jamaican-American media personality, YouTuber, and podcast host. He is best known for his commentary on hip-hop news, rap beefs, and legal cases involving high-profile artists. His podcast, “Off The Record,” has featured interviews with major rap figures and frequently covers ongoing criminal cases in the hip-hop world.

Akademiks has built a large following through his commentary style, which is often provocative and deliberately inflammatory. His involvement in the Lil Durk trial is not as a defendant or witness but as the host of the interview that prosecutors cited as evidence.

Fact Box: DJ Akademiks at a Glance

Who Is Chud the Builder

Dalton Eatherly, 28, is a livestreamer from Tennessee who operates under the name Chud the Builder. His online presence has been built primarily around confrontational in-person livestreams that have drawn condemnation for their content.

Eatherly’s videos have been widely documented as containing racial slurs and harassment directed at Black individuals. His conduct led to his suspension from the livestreaming platform Kick in April 2026. The suspension, initially issued for three days, was later extended indefinitely. After his Kick ban, Eatherly moved to the platform Pump.

Before his online career, Eatherly reportedly worked in construction. He lost that job following a road rage incident in which a woman’s daughter alleged he used a racial slur. He subsequently gained a following in some far-right online circles, appearing on Infowars and in an interview with Gavin McInnes.

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The Courthouse Shooting: May 2026

The most serious event in the timeline of this feud is the shooting that occurred on May 13, 2026, outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee. Eatherly was at the courthouse to appear as a defendant in an existing case.

According to CNN and NBC News, Eatherly and an unidentified individual were both involved in a shooting outside the courthouse. Both sustained gunshot wounds and were hospitalized. Both were reported to be out of danger health-wise.

The District Attorney General’s Office charged Eatherly with criminal attempt to commit murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail.

Akademiks responded to the arrest by posting on X that he had “tricked that f—ing moron off the street” and called the situation his “finest work yet,” claiming credit for Eatherly’s predicament.

Timeline: Key Events in the Feud

The Lil Durk Trial Connection Explained

For readers unfamiliar with the Lil Durk case, the trial involves federal murder-for-hire charges against the Chicago rapper, whose real name is Durk Banks. The prosecution’s case includes allegations that Durk orchestrated the killing of rapper Quando Rondo’s associate in retaliation for the 2020 shooting death of King Von, a rapper closely associated with Durk.

Prosecutors introduced a clip from Akademiks’ “Off The Record” podcast in which Durk remarked that he no longer hears people saying “slide for Von,” framing the comment as an implicit admission that the retaliatory violence had been carried out.

Akademiks was not a participant in the alleged plot and is not charged with any crime. His involvement is limited to hosting the interview. However, the courtroom use of his content raised questions about the legal and personal risks faced by media figures whose interviews are used as evidence in federal trials.

The Lil Durk trial concluded with a guilty verdict. Judge Aleta Trauger expressed sympathy for Akademiks after his name was repeatedly referenced during the proceedings, acknowledging the position he had been placed in.

Eatherly’s Legal Situation as of September 2026

As of September 2026, Eatherly faces multiple legal proceedings. His attempted murder charge from the May courthouse shooting remains active. He also faces charges from the May 9 Nashville arrest, where he was charged with theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest after refusing to pay a $371.55 bill at Bob’s Steak and Chop House and making racial slurs while livestreaming inside the restaurant. He was released on $5,000 bond from the Nashville arrest.

The attempted murder case is the more serious of the two. If convicted, the charges carry significant prison time under Tennessee law.

Why This Feud Has Drawn Attention

The Akademiks-Eatherly conflict has drawn attention for several reasons beyond the standard online dispute between content creators:

• The severity of the underlying events: A courthouse shooting, an attempted murder charge, and a federal murder-for-hire trial give this feud a gravity that most internet arguments do not carry.
• The nature of Eatherly’s content: His documented use of racial slurs and targeted harassment of Black individuals has made him a figure of broad public condemnation, not just criticism from a single opponent.
• Akademiks’ “credit-taking” post: His response to Eatherly’s arrest, in which he took credit for the outcome, raised ethical questions about the role media commentators play when their coverage intersects with real-world violence.
• The Lil Durk trial overlap: The simultaneous use of Akademiks’ content in a federal trial added a second layer of legal complexity to his public profile, which Eatherly then exploited to accuse him of double standards.

Eatherly’s Pattern of Arrests and Confrontations

The courthouse shooting was not an isolated incident. Eatherly’s documented history shows a pattern of escalation:

• In 2024 or early 2025, he was involved in a road rage incident with a Black woman, whose daughter alleged Eatherly used a racial slur. The resulting backlash reportedly cost him his construction job.
• On May 9, 2026, he was arrested in Nashville after refusing to pay a $371.55 bill at Bob’s Steak and Chop House. He had been livestreaming inside the restaurant despite being asked to stop, and made racial slurs during the confrontation. He was charged with theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest, and was released on $5,000 bond.
• Four days later, on May 13, 2026, the courthouse shooting occurred.

His content has been criticized not only by mainstream commentators but also by some figures within far-right circles, including white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who took issue with the degree of Eatherly’s rhetoric.

The Broader Question: Provocation-Based Livestreaming and Accountability

The Akademiks-Eatherly conflict sits within a larger conversation about the consequences of provocation-based content creation. Eatherly’s model, built on generating reactions through racial harassment and public confrontation, represents an extreme version of a broader trend in which creators deliberately escalate situations for views and revenue.

Several aspects of this case illustrate the real-world consequences:

• Platform accountability: Kick’s decision to permanently ban Eatherly came only after sustained pressure and after his content had generated significant harm. The delay between the behavior and the ban is consistent with a pattern in which platforms act reactively.
• Legal consequences: The attempted murder charge represents one of the most severe legal outcomes a livestreamer’s on-camera behavior has led to. The fact that Eatherly was at the courthouse for a previous case when the shooting occurred shows how legal problems compound.
• The role of commentators: Akademiks’ decision to take credit for Eatherly’s arrest, and Eatherly’s subsequent accusation of hypocrisy, illustrate how media commentary can become intertwined with the events being commented on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the feud between DJ Akademiks and Chud the Builder about?

The conflict began in early 2026 when Akademiks publicly criticized Eatherly’s racist livestream content. It escalated after Eatherly was charged with attempted murder following a May 2026 courthouse shooting, and reignited in September 2026 when Eatherly called out Akademiks amid the Lil Durk trial.

Who is Chud the Builder?

Dalton Eatherly, 28, is a Tennessee-based livestreamer known for confrontational videos that have been widely condemned for containing racial slurs and harassment. He faces attempted murder charges from a May 2026 courthouse shooting.

Why was DJ Akademiks mentioned in the Lil Durk trial?

Prosecutors used a clip from his “Off The Record” podcast interview with Lil Durk as alleged evidence in the federal murder-for-hire case. Akademiks is not charged with any crime.

Did DJ Akademiks take credit for Chud the Builder’s arrest?

Yes. After Eatherly’s May 2026 arrest, Akademiks posted on X claiming he had gotten Eatherly off the streets and called the situation his “finest work yet.”

What charges does Chud the Builder face?

Criminal attempt to commit murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon from the May 2026 courthouse shooting, plus theft of services, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest from a separate Nashville incident.

Was Chud the Builder banned from Kick?

Yes. He was suspended from the livestreaming platform in April 2026 for harassment. The ban was later extended indefinitely.

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Last Updated on September 11, 2026 by 247 News Around The World