Full Breakdown
YG’s Detention Revives Questions About 2021 Drakeo the Ruler Murder
7/25/2026, 1:22:55 PM
Backstage Brawl and Fatal Stabbing
In December 2021, rapper Drakeo the Ruler (Darrell Caldwell Jr.) was fatally stabbed backstage at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. music festival. Former security guard Alrick Cooper III testified that a group of roughly 20 to 25 men surrounded Drakeo’s party near the artist entrance. Cooper said YG (Keenon Jackson) was “front and center,” wearing a ski mask, and produced a short, improvised knife that he slashed toward Cooper before the attackers swarmed Drakeo. Cooper described the weapon as a three- to-four-inch silver blade resembling a prison shank.
Civil Lawsuit and New Search Warrant
Drakeo’s family filed a $20 million wrongful-death suit in February 2022 against Live Nation, Bobby Dee Presents, C3 Presents and security contractors, alleging the festival failed to protect the rapper. Excerpts from Cooper’s deposition, taken on March 19 2025, were recently released in a filing by the family’s attorneys. The deposition adds detail to the brawl and was cited when the California Highway Patrol (CHP) executed a homicide search warrant at a Burbank property owned by YG on Thursday, July 23. YG was detained during the search but released after officers completed it; CHP said he is not a suspect or person of interest.
Official Statements & Responses
YG has repeatedly denied involvement in Drakeo’s death and, in a June 2026 song titled “We Know the Truth,” rejected the allegations. Snoop Dogg, who performed at the festival, posted a tribute after the killing, expressing condolences for Drakeo’s family.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They actually closed the gates and trapped us in to where we couldn’t leave,” — Alrick Cooper
- “And then YG produced a knife from his left hand,” — Alrick Cooper
- “He was slashing at me with it, like getting me to back up,” — Alrick Cooper
- “Once I saw the stabbing, jabbing motion,” — Alrick Cooper
