Drakeo security guard says YG brandished knife during fatal backstage brawl

A erstwhile information defender for Drakeo the Ruler testified nether oath that helium saw rapper YG nutrient a weapon and slash it toward him during the 2021 backstage combat successful which Drakeo was fatally stabbed, according to precocious obtained deposition excerpts.

Alrick Cooper III, who was portion of Drakeo’s information item astatine the Once Upon a Time successful L.A. festival, said YG was “front and center” during the Dec. 18, 2021, brawl and was 1 of 3 men helium saw carrying what appeared to beryllium short, improvised knives. He said YG, whose existent sanction is Keenon Jackson, was wearing a skis mask, but helium recognized the rapper’s hazel eyes arsenic helium tried to support Drakeo, whose ineligible sanction was Darrell Caldwell Jr. Representatives for YG did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

The excerpts travel from Cooper’s March 19, 2025, deposition, which surfaced past period successful a tribunal filing by attorneys representing Drakeo’s household successful a civilian suit against festival organizers and information contractors. It adds much discourse to the combat aft instrumentality enforcement investigating the sidesplitting searched a Burbank spot and detained YG successful the process connected Thursday.

The California Highway Patrol, with assistance from the Burbank Police Department’s SWAT team, concisely detained YG portion officers searched the property. He was released aft the hunt and was not arrested.

YG has repeatedly denied engagement successful Drakeo’s death. On his June 2026 opus “We Know the Truth,” helium rejected allegations connecting him to the sidesplitting and said helium learned aft arriving to execute astatine the festival that idiosyncratic had been stabbed.

A CHP spokesperson said the bureau “cannot remark arsenic this is an ongoing and unfastened investigation” erstwhile asked if YG was a fishy oregon idiosyncratic of involvement successful the case. No 1 has been arrested successful the ongoing execution case. NBC Los Angeles reported that the warrant was served arsenic portion of the continuing homicide investigation. CHP told NBC that YG was contiguous erstwhile officers arrived and was released erstwhile the hunt was completed.

Drakeo’s lad and different relatives, on with Cooper, sued Live Nation, C3 Presents, Bobby Dee Presents and respective information contractors successful February 2022, alleging the companies progressive successful staging and securing the festival failed to support Drakeo from a foreseeable attack. YG is not a suspect successful the lawsuit.

‘Front and center’

Cooper testified that Drakeo’s radical was confronted by astatine slightest 20 to 25 radical backstage. When asked whether helium recognized anyone successful the opposing group, Cooper named lone YG.

“He was straight progressive successful the fight?” an lawyer for Drakeo’s household asked.

“Yeah,” Cooper answered. “Front and center.”

Cooper said the attackers divided into groups and surrounded Drakeo’s enactment adjacent the creator entrance. Some wore reddish clothing, skis masks oregon hoodies and Cooper said festival information unit failed to intervene and alternatively closed 2 gates that could person provided an flight route.

“They really closed the gates and trapped america successful to wherever we couldn’t leave,” Cooper testified. According to his account, 1 exit was blocked by information unit portion attackers swarmed the different broadside of the backstage area.

Cooper said helium initially struck 1 of the approaching men and momentarily mislaid his footing. He past recovered himself warring YG and a antheral helium described arsenic YG’s bodyguard, with Drakeo positioned a ft oregon 2 down him and to his right.

“And past YG produced a weapon from his near hand,” Cooper testified, describing the limb arsenic appearing to look from Jackson’s sleeve. “And erstwhile I saw that I conscionable backed up.”

As the confrontation continued, Cooper said, the attackers moved toward Drakeo and “swarmed over” him. Police arrived astir simultaneously, according to Cooper, and began breaking up the fight.

Three men with knives

Cooper described the limb helium attributed to YG arsenic a metallic leaf astir 3 oregon 4 inches long. He said helium did not spot a grip and compared its quality to an improvised situation shank.

“He was slashing astatine maine with it, similar getting maine to backmost up,” Cooper testified. He said helium was not stabbed.

Cooper said helium saw 2 different men lasting adjacent YG with akin weapons. He described 1 antheral arsenic being instantly beside YG and different arsenic positioned down and betwixt them. Cooper said helium concluded the men were equipped aft observing movements that differed from mean punching.

“Once I saw the stabbing, jabbing motion,” Cooper testified, helium tried to determination distant from those individuals.

Cooper described 1 of the different men arsenic a bald Black man, astir 5 feet 9 inches oregon 5 feet 10 inches tall, with light-brown oregon hazel eyes and a bluish patterned crew-neck shirt. He described the 3rd arsenic a likewise sized Black antheral with dreadlocks but said helium could not retrieve the man’s clothing. Cooper estimated YG was astir 6 feet 1 inch oregon 6 feet 2 inches tall.

Identifying YG down a mask

Cooper acknowledged that the idiosyncratic helium identified arsenic YG was wearing a achromatic balaclava that exposed lone the country astir his eyes. He said the antheral besides wore a achromatic bomber-style jacket, achromatic pants with reddish stripes and shiny achromatic shoes.

Asked however helium could marque the recognition with overmuch of the man’s look covered, Cooper said helium had met YG “a lot” and recognized his eyes, assemblage type, height, locomotion and demeanor.

Cooper besides testified that members of the attacking radical taunted Drakeo during the confrontation.

He recalled proceeding statements including “Is this Drakeo?,” “Is that who I deliberation it is?,” “What you privation to do?” and “Now we yet got him.” Cooper besides reported proceeding Blood pack expressions, including “soo whoop” and “Sup, Blood,” and seeing individuals beating their chests.

Earlier successful the deposition, Cooper said helium had antecedently intervened erstwhile the 2 rappers encountered each different extracurricular a signaling studio.

According to Cooper, YG approached Drakeo and asked, “What’s up [with] each that net stuff?” Cooper said helium had to defuse that encounter.

Cooper besides cited Drakeo’s 2021 opus “IngleWeird,” interviews and euphony released by artists associated with the 2 camps arsenic grounds of an escalating dispute. He recalled a summertime 2021 interrogation featuring YG and 2 different artists successful which, according to Cooper, idiosyncratic said, “We don’t bash that net stuff, the homies going to get you.”

Cooper testified that the past led him to pass Drakeo earlier the festival that much information was needed. He believed determination was a important accidental the 2 artists oregon their entourages would brushwood each different arsenic Drakeo near the signifier oregon festival grounds.

All parties volition beryllium backmost successful tribunal for the archetypal of 2 hearings opening Aug. 13 covering motions to disregard the lawsuit brought by Bobby Dee Presents and Live Nation.