Rapper Travis Scott has spoken out for the very first time following the tragedy that unfolded at his 2021 Astroworld Festival in Houston, TX on November 5 in a new long-form interview.
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While entering the conversation with host Charlamagne Tha God on his YouTube channel with “no intentions” other than to have a discussion, Scott was visibly somber getting into details surrounding the festival at which 10 people lost their lives and numerous others were injured.
According to court documents filed by his attorneys, Scott has denied all allegations brought against him, as well as any claims that he was negligent. Since the festival, more than 140 lawsuits have been filed, with most claiming the event organizers and performers ignored possible risk factors.
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“I didn’t know the exact details until minutes before the press conference [following his set],” Scott tells Charlamagne. “Even at that moment, you’re like, ‘Wait, what?’” Before trailing off into thought, Scott contends that “people pass out, things happen at concerts, but something like that…”
“Anytime you can hear something like that, you want to stop the show,” Scott continued. “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.”
“You can only help what you can see and whatever you’re told,” Scott admits, asserting he historically relies on his team and concert organizers for warnings, due to his stage production limiting some of what he can make out in his sprawling crowds. “Whenever they tell you to stop, you stop,” Scott says.
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Scott also addressed the “raging” culture that his concerts have now become infamous for. “It’s not about just… harm. It’s not about that. It’s about letting go and having fun, help others and love each other.” Scott says he wanted to “show these experiences are happening in a safe environment,” adding, "as artists, we trust professionals for when things happen that people can leave safely. And this night was just like a regular show, it felt like to me, as far as the energy... people didn’t show up there just to be harmful. People just showed up to have a good time and then something unfortunate happened, and I think we really just got to figure out what that was.”
Watch the full interview with Travis above.
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