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Drakeo The Ruler’s mother says she plans to sue over rapper’s death
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 21 December 2021
Drakeo The Ruler’s mother Darrylene Corniel says that she plans to launch a lawsuit over the death of her son as a result of a stabbing at the Once Upon A Time In LA festival on Saturday.
“This happened backstage at an event”, she tells Rolling Stone. “Someone has to be held accountable”.
The rapper, real name Darrell Caldwell, was attacked as he waited to go on stage at the festival on Saturday night. Corniel says that she understands that Caldwell was with a small entourage, including his brother Devonte – aka fellow rapper Ralfy The Plug – when a group of up to 60 people came and “swamped” them and “started trying to jump them”.
“He was hit in his neck”, she says. “I saw him when I went to the hospital. They said it’s a homicide, so I wasn’t able to hug him or kiss him or anything like that. I had to look at him through a window. I need this to be out there. I need people to know. And I do want justice for my son. And I do believe that justice will be served. I will not rest until justice is served”.
With no arrests yet made, Corniel says that her next course of action will be to sue the show’s promoters, which includes Live Nation.
“They let all these people in, and you’re not supposed to have all these people backstage”, she says. “And your security is supposed to be in place. The whole programme should have been orchestrated a lot better than what it was. And there should have been more protection”.
“Even if you have metal detectors, even if you pat them down, you let those people come in there”, she adds. “You had more people come in than you were supposed to. And you allowed them to jump my son. You didn’t protect my son”.
Live Nation has not yet commented on Corniel’s comments. Following Drakeo The Ruler’s death on Saturday night, the company issued a statement acknowledging that there had been “an altercation in the roadway backstage” at the event and that “out of respect for those involved” the remainder of the show had been cancelled.
