Drakeo the Ruler estate settles lawsuit with Live Nation over 2021 festival stabbing
The estate of rapper Drakeo the Ruler has settled its claims against Live Nation and other companies over his fatal stabbing backstage at a Los Angeles festival in 2021.
An Oct. 9 filing in Los Angeles court states that the estate resolved all remaining negligence claims — the legal argument that organisers failed to take reasonable steps to keep people safe — against Live Nation and its subsidiary C3 Presents, along with other concert promoters and security firms behind the Once Upon a Time in LA festival, Billboard reported on Oct. 14.
The estate is administered by the rapper’s mother, Darrylene Corniel. His legal name was Darrell Caldwell. TMZ also reported on Oct. 14 that the wrongful death lawsuit had been settled.
The rapper’s son, Caiden Caldwell, has settled his parallel claims over the incident, according to his lawyer speaking to Billboard. The terms of both settlements have not been made public.
Not all litigation over the death has ended. A third lawsuit brought by Caldwell’s brother, Devante Caldwell, and members of his entourage who were present at the festival in December 2021 remains pending against Live Nation. It is set for trial on Nov. 30.
Drakeo the Ruler died of stab wounds after he was attacked backstage at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where he had been due to perform. No one had been arrested or charged in the killing as of the report.
Claims first brought against a limited liability company controlled by Snoop Dogg in connection with the festival were later dropped entirely.
The rapper was 28 at the time of the festival, which was billed as his return to the stage after three years in custody, according to the Los Angeles Times. A separate wrongful-death action filed on behalf of his then 5-year-old son had sought $25 million in damages from Live Nation and its festival, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2022.
Live Nation had argued in a July 2022 filing that the stabbing was unforeseeable and that it could not be held liable, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time. That defence is now moot in the estate and son’s cases following the settlements.
The remaining trial in November will address the claims still in dispute.
