One person was stabbed at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. concert at the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park on Saturday night.
Paramedics responded to a call about a stabbing around 8:40 p.m. in the 3900 block of South Hoover Street, said Margaret Stewart, public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department. One person was taken to a hospital in critical condition, she said.
The individual was not identified. But a person with direct knowledge of the incident told The Times that hip-hop artist Drakeo the Ruler was attacked by a group of people at the music festival and seriously injured.
The rapper was scheduled to appear at the music festival, which included a stacked lineup of popular rappers including Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and 50 Cent.
The rapper, whose real name is Darrell Caldwell, was “pretty badly hurt,” though it wasn’t clear exactly how he was injured, according to the source, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter candidly.
One source said that a video captured the aftermath of the stabbing, showing people running up on stage and security trying to break up a fight. The victim was apparently backstage when they were attacked.
Soon after the stabbing, organizers ended the event as patrons moved to get out. The Los Angeles Police Department said on Twitter that an “incident” had occurred at the concert but did not provide details. “The festival has concluded early. LAPD will be in the area assisting [California Highway Patrol] with the investigation,” the agency said.
The music festival was running behind schedule. Snoop Dogg was scheduled to perform at 8:30 p.m., but a DJ on the main stage had been playing for about 45 minutes.
At about 9:20, the backstage entrance appeared to be blocked to anyone but police officers. Some people with artist wristbands were turned away. At least 20 officers gathered behind the main stage where yellow police tape was put up.
By 9:30 p.m., there had been no live announcement from the festival organizers.
The Los Angeles Police Department could not confirm the identity of the victim.
A Live Nation spokesperson said in a statement, “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.”
Photographer Bridget Arias was backstage, watching George Clinton perform at about 8 p.m. when an off-handed comment caught her attention.
“You know everybody is in everybody’s business and one person was like, ‘Oh yeah, ‘cause Drakeo got stabbed,’” Arias said in an interview. “Then another person confirmed it and then it was kind of like the monkey game where everyone kept repeating a version of what was happening.”
Arias, who was working the event as a photographer, said one of her artist friends was in the area when the incident happened.
Shortly after, festival security ordered them to return to their vehicles and get ready to head out. But Arias and several others got stuck in the kerfuffle and are still waiting in their cars, artists lounge and trailers to leave the festival grounds.
“Dude, we’ve been waiting since like 8:20 p.m.,” she said.
The 28-year-old Caldwell, an L.A. native, has released 10 mixtapes and put out his first studio album earlier this year. He recorded the mixtape “Thank You For Using GTL,” a reference to prison communications company Global Tel Link, with verses recorded over a phone while he was being held at Men’s Central Jail awaiting trial in connection with the 2016 killing of a 24-year-old man.
Caldwell was acquitted of felony murder and attempted murder charges, but Los Angeles County prosecutors sought to retry him on conspiracy charges in the slaying. The second case was ultimately resolved with a plea deal and Caldwell was released from custody in November 2020.