The Astroworld Festival disaster continues to make headlines, with rapper Travis Scott now facing backlash and being blamed for negligence. Scott’s attorney accused the Houston police of releasing the final report about the festival in an attempt to negatively impact sales of his new album, Utopia.
Bob Hilliard, an attorney representing the family of nine-year-old victim Ezra Blount, criticized Scott for his lawyers’ tone deaf statement regarding album sales in light of the lives lost. Hilliard stated, For an artist making his living with music, these are stunningly tone deaf comments about this preventable tragedy that took so many lives and injured so many.
Hilliard further highlighted the negligence and extreme gross negligence of those involved, including the Travis Scott team, stating that the released report confirms these facts. He expressed disappointment in Scott’s response, which focused on the impact of the report’s release date on album sales, rather than the tragedy itself.
The Houston Police Department released an investigative report consisting of 1,300 pages on Friday, detailing the events leading up to the fatal crowd rush that resulted in the deaths of 10 people and numerous injuries. Coincidentally, the report was made public shortly after Scott’s fourth studio album, Utopia, hit streaming services on the same day.
Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, criticized the timing of the report’s release, suggesting it was designed to create negative publicity around Utopia. However, Schaffer defended his client, emphasizing that Scott made efforts to deescalate the situation by pausing his performance multiple times. He cited Scott’s commitment to audience safety and well-being, mentioning that the artist had been praised for stopping the show three separate times.
Travis Scott’s Utopia album, his first full-length release since the Astroworld Festival, has generated controversy due to the tragic events of November 5, 2021. The festival, inspired by Scott’s 2018 album Astroworld, was a huge success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and receiving quadruple platinum certification.
In light of these recent developments, it remains to be seen how this backlash and blame will impact Travis Scott’s reputation and career moving forward. The Astroworld tragedy continues to cast a shadow over the artist, leaving fans and critics alike questioning the responsibility and accountability of those involved in organizing and managing large-scale events. The memory of the victims, including ten-year-old Ezra Blount, remains at the forefront of the conversation, as does the need for comprehensive safety measures at future music festivals.
