Following the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, where a crowd crush led to injuries and fatalities during Travis Scott’s performance, Scott has faced significant public scrutiny and legal challenges. Lawsuits have been filed by the injured and families of the deceased against the festival, its organizers, and Scott himself. The primary criticism directed at Scott has been his decision to continue the show despite calls from the audience to stop.
In his first public comments on the incident during a YouTube interview with rapper Charlamagne tha God, Scott stated that he was not informed of the extent of the injuries until after his performance.
“I wasn’t fully aware of the situation until moments before the press conference [following my set],” he revealed. “Even then, it was a shock.”
Reflecting on his responsibility as an artist, Scott expressed his desire to ensure the safety and well-being of his fans. He emphasized that he was attentive to the audience’s energy and had halted the show on previous occasions to ensure everyone’s welfare. Scott stated, “Anytime you can hear something like that, you want to stop the show. You want to make sure fans get the proper attention they need. Anytime I could see anything like that, I did. I stopped it a couple times to just make sure everybody was OK. And I really just go off the fans’ energy as a collective — call and response. I just didn’t hear that.”
Travis Scott talks about what happened at Astroworld Fest in first interview since tragedy. https://t.co/VtUokuwWbN
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) December 9, 2021
Addressing the intense atmosphere often associated with his shows, Scott acknowledged efforts to create a safer environment. He mentioned, “As artists, we rely on professionals to ensure the safety of our audience during unforeseen circumstances. That night felt like just any other show to me in terms of energy. It didn’t seem like a hostile environment. People came to have a good time, and then something tragic occurred. We need to understand what went wrong.”
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