A security guard working with Drakeo The Ruler has provided testimony in a civil suit, alleging that rapper YG was “front and center” and armed with a knife during the backstage brawl that claimed the life of the South Central artist in December 2021. These revelations, which have surfaced in recently obtained court documents, shed new light on the tragic events that transpired at the Once Upon a Time in L.A. festival.
Testimony from the Backstage Altercation
The filings, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, feature excerpts from the deposition of Alrick David Cooper III, a former security guard. Under oath in March 2025, Cooper testified that he witnessed YG and two other men brandishing knives and making slashing motions toward both himself and Drakeo The Ruler, born Darrell Caldwell Jr. The incident resulted in the fatal stabbing of Caldwell, who passed away at a nearby hospital shortly after the altercation.
Cooper is a plaintiff in an ongoing civil lawsuit brought by the Caldwell estate against Live Nation Entertainment Inc., an LLC associated with Snoop Dogg, and various event promoters. The suit alleges that these parties failed to provide adequate security for Drakeo The Ruler as he prepared for his scheduled performance.
Allegations of Security Failures
In his deposition, Cooper claimed that he was the only individual subjected to a frisking upon entering the backstage area that evening, while other vehicles were permitted to pass without similar security measures. Furthermore, Cooper alleged that venue security actively hindered the escape of Drakeo The Ruler and his crew by blocking off key passageways during the melee.
Cooper identified YG—born Keenon Jackson—by his distinct “hazel eyes,” noting that he had worked near the rapper in the past. He also highlighted a history of tension between the two artists, citing a song titled “Ingleweird” and a previous YG interview on the No Jumper podcast that alluded to an ongoing feud.
Ongoing Legal Developments
These court filings emerge shortly after YG was briefly detained on July 23, 2026, while California Highway Patrol officers searched his studio for evidence related to the murder of Drakeo The Ruler. As the civil litigation continues, these testimonies provide a harrowing account of the security lapses and personal conflicts that defined that fatal night.