Drakeo The Ruler : NPR

Jeff Weiss on the life and death of Drakeo the Ruler

March 18, 2022 • On December 18, 2021, the rapper Drakeo the Ruler was murdered backstage at a festival in Los Angeles, his hometown. A group of 40 or so people ambushed him; one of them stabbed him to death. Drakeo was a young, rising rapper. Critics respected him and rap fans streamed his music millions of times. He was an LA gangsta rapper whose music didn't sound like what you'd think when you hear "LA gangsta rap" – it's subdued and anxious, less about the barbecue with your pals and more about looking over your shoulder. Jeff Weiss, the music writer, first covered Drakeo the Ruler in 2017, and they forged a friendship. Weiss also witnessed Drakeo's murder. We invited Weiss to our studio in Los Angeles to talk about Drakeo's music, what it meant to the broader hip-hop community, and his life and death. As a warning: there's going to be some discussion about violence, along with crime. If you or someone you're listening with is sensitive to that, we wanted to give you a heads up.

Jeff Weiss on the life and death of Drakeo the Ruler

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Drakeo the Ruler, a rising force in West Coast rap, has died at age 28

Drakeo the Ruler performs during Rolling Loud on Dec. 12, 2021 in San Bernardino, Calif. Timothy Norris/Timothy Norris, Getty Images hide caption

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Timothy Norris/Timothy Norris, Getty Images

Drakeo the Ruler, a rising force in West Coast rap, has died at age 28

December 19, 2021 • The rapper was hailed as "the most original West Coast stylist in decades." He was reportedly stabbed at the Once Upon a Time in LA music festival.

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Drakeo The Ruler, Less Than A Month Out Of Prison, Releases 'We Know The Truth'

Drakeo The Ruler. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Drakeo The Ruler, Less Than A Month Out Of Prison, Releases 'We Know The Truth'

December 1, 2020 • NPR Music speaks with the LA rapper, who struck a plea deal earlier this month resulting in his release from prison after a four-year legal battle.

Drakeo's Acclaimed Album Highlights How Much Prisons Profit From Phone Calls

The rapper Drakeo the Ruler titled his latest album after the prison phone service provider GTL, whose lines he used to record it, leaving a trail to follow the money through a controversial industry. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Music Features

Drakeo's Acclaimed Album Highlights How Much Prisons Profit From Phone Calls

August 28, 2020 • The rapper Drakeo the Ruler titled his latest album after the prison phone service provider GTL, whose lines he used to record it, leaving a trail to follow the money through a controversial industry.

Drakeo's Acclaimed Album Highlights How Much Prisons Profit From Phone Calls

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