Drakeo the Ruler, a West Coast rapper known for his unusual cadence and choppy rhythm, was fatally stabbed Saturday night during an altercation at a Los Angeles festival where several artists were scheduled to perform. He was 28.
A publicist for the rapper, Scott Jawson, confirmed his death on Sunday.
Drakeo the Ruler, whose real name was Darrell Caldwell, was set to perform at the Once Upon a Time festival in LA at 8:30 p.m. local time.
At about 8:40 p.m., paramedics responded to a call about a stabbing near the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park, where the festival was held, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The altercation took place in the “roadway backstage,” according to a statement from the organizers of Once Upon a Time in LA Festival ended the show early on Saturday night. Other artists on the program were 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg.
Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the stabbing. It was not clear on Sunday whether any arrests had been made.
In February, Mr. Caldwell, who has racked up more than 1.5 million listeners on Spotify each month, is releasing his biggest album to date, “The Truth Hurts,” in which he raps in a nervous-sounding episode about “everything I’ve been through,” including incarceration, he said earlier this year in a statement promoting the album.