LOS ANGELES — A West Coast rapper known as Drakeo the Ruler was fatally stabbed in an altercation at a Los Angeles music festival where he was scheduled to perform, leaving fans of the young musician heartbroken.<\/p>\n
A publicist for the rapper, Scott Jawson, confirmed his death on Sunday to the New York Times and Rolling Stone. The artist\u2019s real name was Darrell Caldwell.<\/p>\n
Caldwell, 28, was assaulted Saturday night at the Once Upon a Time in LA concert, which was expected to feature several artists, including Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and Ice Cube. Organizers called off the festival after the stabbing.<\/p>\n
A fight broke out behind the main stage shortly after 8:30 p.m., leaving one man severely injured by a suspect wielding an edged weapon, the California Highway Patrol said in a bare bones news release that did not name Caldwell. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he later died.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Fire Department also responded.<\/p>\n
LAPD spokesman Officer Luis Garcia told the Los Angeles Times that no arrests had been made as of Sunday.<\/p>\n
Music journalists and fans delighted in Caldwell\u2019s unique sound and boundless creativity. His death highlighted the violent demise of other talented young Black musicians, including fellow LA rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019 and the highly influential Tupac Shakur in 1996. Both men were shot.<\/p>\n
Snoop Dogg posted on social media condolences to Caldwell\u2019s family and prayers to those affected by the tragedy. \u201cI\u2019m praying for peace in hip hop,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Caldwell, who started releasing mixtapes in 2015 and this past February debuted his first album \u201cThe Truth Hurts,\u201d has been called \u201cthe most original stylist on the West Coast\u201d for his darkly comedic lyrics and deadpan delivery. His mixtape \u201cThank You for Using GTL\u201d contains verses recorded at the Men\u2019s Central Jail in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
He grew up listening to acts like Hot Boyz, Boosie, Webbie and Dipset, but said it was a battle rapper named Cocky who influenced him to rap.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was so smooth and calm while rapping, despite saying some of the craziest stuff,\u201d he told Billboard earlier this year. \u201cIt showed me you didn\u2019t have to yell or be loud to get your point across.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caldwell pioneered a type of rap called \u201cnervous music,\u201d with songs that were cryptic and dark, the Los Angeles Times wrote in 2018: \u201cHis cadences run counterclockwise to the drums, somehow both herky-jerky like a stickshift and swift and smooth like a luxury sports car it controls.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caldwell was released from jail in November 2020 after reaching a plea deal with LA County prosecutors who wanted to try him on conspiracy charges in the 2016 killing of a 24-year-old man. Previously he had been acquitted of felony murder and attempted murder charges in the man\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
The Once Upon a Time in LA Fest confirmed in an Instagram post that the event had been called off early, and did not give a reason.<\/p>\n
The festival was organized by Live Nation, the Beverly Hills-based live events company that was behind last month\u2019s Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n
Ten people were killed and hundreds injured when a large crowd surged during a performance by the rapper Travis Scott. An email message seeking comment from Live Nation on Sunday has not been returned.<\/p>\n