The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a stabbing incident that occurred Saturday (Dec. 18) at the Once Upon A Time in LA Festival at the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park.
While the victim has not been officially identified by authorities, a source “with direct knowledge of the incident” told the Los Angeles Times that the man who was stabbed at the concert was 28-year-old rapper Drakeo the Ruler.
According to the publication, Drakeo, born Darrell Caldwell, was slated to perform onstage at the festival, but he was attacked backstage by a group of people and seriously injured.
Margaret Stewart, public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department, told The Times that paramedics arrived in the 3900 block of South Hoover Street around 8:40 p.m after receiving a call regarding a stabbing. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition, she said.
Festival organizers ended the event shortly after the altercation. The Los Angeles Police Department took to Twitter announcing that there was “an incident at the Once Upon A Time in LA festival at the Banc of California.” “The festival has concluded early. LAPD will be in the area assisting CHP w/ the investigation,” the LAPD tweeted around 10:34 p.m. PST.
In a separate statement, a Live Nation spokesperson added: “There was an altercation in the roadway backstage. Out of respect for those involved and in coordination with local authorities, artists and organizers decided not to move forward with remaining sets so the festival was ended an hour early.”
The Once Upon A Time in LA festival featured a stacked lineup filled with performers such as 50 Cent, YG, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, The Game, Three 6 Mafia, Kamaiyah, E-40, and more. According to reports Snoop Dogg was scheduled to perform around the time of the stabbing, however he did not hit the stage.
Several artists have already taken to social media to express their grief over the reported death of Drakeo the Ruler. “RIP Drakeo man :(,” wrote Guapdad 4000.
“Nah man this shit isn’t right for real wtf are we doing. Always picked my spirit up with your energy. RIP Drakeo,” Drake wrote in his IG stories.
Joey Fatts tweeted: “Drakeo was killed while working. Was there for a performance. All these get out the streets tweets/leave your city tweets. Shut the fuck up. No reason why a knife should be able to be snuck into a music festival. Especially since the Travis Scott shit. Rip Drakeo hope his fam sue.”
Drakeo, an LA native, released 10 mixtapes, including his most recent project So Cold I Do Em 2. He put out his first studio album, The Truth Hurts, I’m February. The lead single off the album “Talk to Me” featuring Drake peaked at No. 8 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.