Drakeo The Ruler has tragically died at the age of 28 after being stabbed during an altercation near the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles on December 18. The rapper, whose real name is Darrell Caldwell, had reportedly performed at the “Once Upon a Time in L.A.” concert, where Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent were also scheduled to appear. After paramedics responded to reports of a stabbing around 8:40pm, according to the Los Angeles Times, Drakeo was taken to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
“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,” a statement for the organizers of the “Once Upon a Time in L.A.” concert read. Find out all about the later rapper here.
1. Drakeo Was Raised In Los Angeles
Drakeo The Ruler was raised in Los Angeles, according to The Sun. He attended Washington High School in Westmont before starting his career as a hip hop artist. He dropped his first mixtape I Am Mr. Mosely in 2015, continued to work on his music for six years and debuted his first album in February called The Truth Hurts.
2. Drake Was A Collaborator And Friend
Drakeo’s biggest hit was his collaboration with Drake called “Talk To Me,” which has been streamed over 10 million times. On December 19, Drake took to his Instagram Story to respond to the tragic news, writing, “Nah man this sh** isn’t right for real wtf are we doing. Always picked my spirit up with your energy. RIP Drakeo.”
3. Drakeo Was A Father
Although little is known about Drakeo’s romantic life, it has been reported he was single at the time of his death. The artist is the father to one son, according to The Sun.
4. He Spent Time In Jail
In November of 2020, Drakeo was released from L.A.’s Men’s Central Jail, according to Rolling Stone. His sentence stemmed from gun charges in 2017, He was also indicted on charges related to the murder of a 26-year-old man in 2016. Although he maintained his innocence, Drakeo was released with time served only after he plead guilty to “shooting from a motor vehicle with a gang enhancement,” per the outlet.
5. Drakeo’s Music Gave Him A Purpose
“I really like making music now,” he told Rolling Stone in March. “It means a lot ‘cause [before] I didn’t really care about it like that. I just want people to know that I’m here to stay,” he continued. “I want them to take my music seriously and feel everything. I mean, a lot of people know about my story … but I want them to know I had to go through a lot to get the things that I got.”