Lil Durk's gun charges won't land him back behind bars, a judge decided Tuesday (Aug. 5). Judge Joseph Kazmierski Jr. sentenced the Chicago native to 18 months probation and work with an anti-violence organization. He was also given credit for 43 days served in jail. 

Kazmierski advised Durk to be "part of the cure of what's going on" with violence in the Windy City, versus the problem. 

The 21-year-old whose birth name is Durk Banks was facing up to a year behind bars. He pleaded guilty to aggravated and unlawful use of a weapon, and felony possession of a firearm.

Police arrested him last April, after he threw a handgun into a stolen parked car, and walked away. Durk was still on parole for a 2011 gun-related conviction at the time.

His lawyer, Sam Adams Jr. believes the rapper can break his criminal habits. "This is a young man who completely has an opportunity to move forward in his life," Adams said, noting that Durk is "supporting his children" and "with his child's mother."

Durk has completed more than 150 hours for CureViolence at the University of Chicago, Adams said. The judge added on an extra 50 hours for Durk, if approved by probation officials.

Looking to the future, the Def Jam artist promised not to fall off track. "The key word is I'll be staying out of trouble," he told the Chicago Tribune. "You can put a capital N — for never."  

His new album will include his legal troubles. "I'm going talk about everything that's gone on, everything that's happened this past year — the violence, the deaths, the court," he said. 

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