Family of Drakeo the Ruler Say Lack of Security Led to His Death at Los Angeles Festival

The family of Drakeo the Ruler, the Los Angeles Rapper who was stabbed to death backstage at a music festival, said the lack of security resulted in the rapper’s death, according to ABC News.

Drakeo, whose legal name is Darrell Caldwell, was stabbed to death backstage while he was preparing to go on stage at the Once Upon A Time in LA festival which also featured rappers Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.

From ABC News:

“How did these people get through? How did these people get access, backstage, to an artist?” Tianna Purdue, the mother of Caldwell’s 5-year-old son, said at the news conference announcing a planned wrongful death lawsuit. “Where was anyone? Where was anyone there to help him?”

Video played at the news conference of the moments leading up to the stabbing, which his attorneys called a “targeted assassination,” showed men in red pouring into the fenced-off backstage area and attacking Caldwell and his small entourage. No security guards or police officers can be seen. Caldwell, who had knife wounds to his neck, died hours later at a hospital, authorities said.

“Mr. Caldwell was lynched by 40 to 60 people,” said attorney James Bryant. “This would never have happened if those promoters had the proper security protocol. The world lost an amazing artist, a beautiful human being, a father.”

The lawyers of Drakeo’s family have said that they are filing a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the promoters of the festival which included Live Nation and Bobby Dee Present, according to ABC News.

In November 2021, Live Nation was also the promoter of the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas which resulted in the death of 10 people and hundreds more being injured. People who attended the festival and families of the victims who died named Live Nation among other entities in a $2 billion lawsuit.

Promoters of the Los Angeles music festival have not responded to the allegations and in a statement said, “Once Upon a Time in LA joins Drakeo’s family, friends, and fans in grieving his loss. The festival is continuing to support local authorities in their investigation as they pursue the facts.”

Drakeo’s murder is still being investigated by police and no suspects have been named and no arrests have been made, according to ABC News.