Just a few weeks after the brazen daylight murder of Memphis artist Young Dolph, hip-hop has lost another rap star.
Drakeo the Ruler, a 28-year-old budding LA rap star with an arsenal of unique slang, was pronounced dead on Sunday morning after being stabbed at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival headlined by Snoop Dogg. According to the reports, Drakeo was stabbed in the neck after a fight broke out on the festival grounds.
Snoop, who left the venue after being informed of the incident, released a statement on Sunday offering condolences while praying for peace:
“I’m saddened by the events that took place last night at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival. My condolences go out to family and loved ones of Drakeo the Ruler. I’m not with anything negative and as one of the many performers, I was there to spread positive vibes only to my city of LA. Last night I was in my dressing room when I was informed about the incident and chose to immediately leave the festival grounds. My prayers go out to everyone affected by tragedy. Please take care, love one another and stay safe y’all. IM PRAYING FOR PEACE IN HIP-HOP.”
Drakeo’s lawyer John Hamasaki mourned his client’s loss with a statement of his own, and explained that the pair had developed a friendship since connecting a couple of years ago:
“We spent the hardest two years together fighting for his freedom, facing life, before walking out a free man just over a year ago. Through it, we became friends and then like family. I don’t even know how to start processing this. Thanks for the kind messages đź’””
As you might expect, there’s a lot of speculation floating around online about what happened, and who is to blame, but some of it is being fueled by Drakeo’s Stinc Team camp. Earlier today, his associate K7 took to social media to call out YG and proclaim that he’s banned from performing in the city. There’s a lot you can take from that sort of claim, but it’s probably best to see how things unfold over the next couple of days before fingers are pointed. “No arrests had been made as of Sunday morning,” said LAPD spokesman Officer Luis Garcia. “Detectives are still trying to figure things out.”
Drakeo, born Darrell Caldwell, is the second established LA rapper to be murdered in December. On December 9, rising Compton-born star Slim 400, born Vincent Cohran, was gunned down in Inglewood city, south of Los Angeles, at just 33-years-old. He had survived being shot nine times just a couple of years earlier.
Our condolences go out to Drakeo’s family and friends. Rest in Peace.
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