Astroworld Festival Archives - New Hip Hop News

Travis Scott Requested To Be Dismissed From The Astroworld Festival Lawsuit, Saying He Shouldn’t Be Responsible For Safety Or Security Concerns

March 28, 2024 by newhiphopnews

After being named as a defendant in the hundreds of combined lawsuits stemming from the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster, Travis Scott has at last asked out of future proceedings. According to Billboard, Travis’ attorney Daniel Petrocelli filed a motion to dismiss him from the suit on Monday, asserting that ensuring safety and security at live events is “not the job of performing artists” — even ones whose album tiles grace said events.

The motion reads in part, “Like any other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals must balance exhilaration with safety and security—but that balance is not the job of performing artists, even those involved in promoting and marketing performances. Which only makes sense: Performing artists, even those who engage in certain promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety measures, venue security protocols, or site-design.”

Even so, the defense writes, Travis did make concessions to alleviate crowding issues when they were brought to his attention during the planning phase. “When, during festival planning, concerns arose about the risk of a stampede occurring in the festival site, the Scott defendants supported festival organizers’ efforts to eliminate that risk by agreeing to remove certain rides and other attractions at the site,” Petrocelli wrote. “Then, when the Scott defendants were told to end the show after Mr. Scott’s guest performer finished performing, they did just that—ending the show as directed.”

Travis is, of course, only one of the named defendants, which included Drake (who has also since requested dismissal from liability), Apple Music, Live Nation Entertainment, and the venue and security companies involved. The nearly 300 cases were combined into a single case in January 2022, and proceedings have have gone relatively slowly since. Scott, after a year out of the spotlight, returned to performing in 2022 and released the follow-up to Astroworld, Utopia, in summer of 2023.

Is Drake Still A Part Of Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival Lawsuits?

March 14, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott may have made a tremendous comeback in 2023 that continues to this day, but he still faces the fallout of his disastrous 2021 Astroworld Festival in the form of hundreds of lawsuits that have yet to be tried. While they’ll be combined into one case for any eventual trial, one of his co-defendants wants out before the case ever gets that far.

According to Rolling Stone, Drake, who was a named as a defendant along with Apple, Scott, and Live Nation, filed a motion in Houston last week to have himself dismissed from litigation. His lawyers argued that Drake himself had no involvement in the planning of the festival and was therefore unaware of the safety concerns that prompted the lawsuits after 10 concertgoers died as a result of injuries sustained during a crowd crush during Drake and Travis’ set. Hundreds more were injured, hence the proliferation of lawsuits against the festival’s organizers.

“[Drake] did not receive any security briefings, was not informed of any crowd control issues, injuries or deaths in the crowd, or any stop show orders at any time either before or during his 14-minute performance,” the filing reads. In fact, his only involvement was showing up, performing for “approximately 14 minutes” and returning backstage.

Basically, the argument is that although the injuries occurred during his appearance as the crowd pressed forward, he couldn’t tell from onstage and because he had no hand in the planning, he shouldn’t bear liability for any lack of security that allowed to crowd crush to occur. There haven’t been any updates on the case yet, but Drake will likely be relieved to have one less legal issue on his hands.

Travis Scott Reflects On Astroworld Tragedy: ‘I Always Think About It’

November 15, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott has revealed the enduring impact of the Astroworld tragedy on his life. In a candid interview with GQ magazine, the Houston rapper discusses how the tragic incident weighs heavily on him and his deep love for his fans.

Travis Scott Opens Up

On Nov. 14, Travis Scott opened up about the lasting impact of the Astroworld tragedy on his life. Scott’s heartfelt words in the GQ interview demonstrate the distress the tragedy continues to cause him. He expressed:

“I always think about it. Those fans were like my family. You just feel for those people. And their families.”

The pain of losing fans he considered to be close-knit had a profound impact on the rapper, making the tragedy an ever-present burden.

The Astroworld Festival, held on November 5, 2021, turned into a night of horror as ten audience members lost their lives and thousands were injured in a crowd crush at NRG Park in Houston.

‘My Eyes’

Moreover, Scott discussed the challenges he faced while creating his latest album, UTOPIA, in the wake of the tragedy.

The “SICKO MODE” rapper explained how making music allowed him to reflect on life and personal experiences, driving him to concentrate on the devastating effects of that fateful day:

“That moment for families, for the city, you know, it was devastating,” Scott said.

Scott’s lyrics in the song “My Eyes” on the UTOPIA album further emphasize his emotional connection to the tragedy. He sings:

“I replay them nights, and right by my side, all I see is a sea of people that ride wit’ me/If they just knew what Scotty would do to jump off the stage and save him a child.” The memories still haunt him, occupying his thoughts on a daily basis.

‘This Song Is Emotional To Me’

Notably, users on Twitter (X) reacted to the news.

One user named @seokiess_m commented, “I will always get a bad vibe with travis scott for the astroworld situation im sorry he did not make effort to support those victims families at all.” One other user named @Degen_Alfie commented “was a very sad tragedy. No one could’ve foreseen it happened.”

Despite the pain and controversy surrounding the tragedy, Scott wanted to remind his fans that he, too, experiences pain and has concerns he contemplates daily. The Astroworld incident profoundly affected him, and through his music, he hopes to convey his emotions authentically:

“The song is emotional to me,” Scott shared. “It’s one of my favorite songs on the album. And that verse means a lot to me.”

It is important to note that Scott, who initially faced the possibility of criminal charges, was later cleared of any responsibility by a Texas grand jury in June 2023.

Updated By: Chris Samuel (11/15/23 at 4:22 pm)

Travis Scott & Festival Organizers Not Facing Criminal Charges For Astroworld Tragedy

Travis Scott and the organizers of the Astroworld Festival will not face criminal charges over the deadly crowd rush that occurred during the event in November 2021. A grand jury in Houston reached this decision, concluding that there was insufficient evidence of criminal conduct by Scott, the festival manager, and others involved. While this outcome provides legal clarity, the tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of event safety and the prevention of similar incidents in the future.

Astroworld Tragedy: The Verdict

Travis Scott and the individuals responsible for organizing the Astroworld Festival, including festival manager Brent Silberstein, John Junell of Live Nation, security planners Seyth and Shawna Boardman, and Emily Ockenden, will not face criminal charges in connection with the crowd rush that led to the deaths of 10 people and injuries to numerous others.

The grand jury in Houston decided not to issue any criminal charges, known as no-bills, after reviewing the evidence related to the tragic incident. The District Attorney’s office determined that the evidence did not meet the standard for charging the individuals involved.

During the Astroworld Festival, which took place on November 5, 2021, attendees were caught in a chaotic crowd rush, resulting in crushing and injuries to thousands of people. Over 2,000 individuals required medical attention during the event.

Travis Scott’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, released a statement emphasizing that his client will not face criminal charges and asserting that Scott is not responsible for the tragedy. The focus should now be on event safety and preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future, according to Schaffer.
The Astroworld tragedy sparked legal proceedings and lawsuits, with Scott and Drake, who also performed at the festival, facing legal action. While criminal charges have been ruled out, the incident’s aftermath continues to be addressed through civil litigation.

Updated by Dorian Waller on June 30th, 2023

Travis Scott, Drake Hit With $2 Billion Astroworld Lawsuit

A large number of Astroworld attendees filed lawsuits against Travis Scott, Drake, LiveNation, and Apple following the deadly festival tragedy. All together they are looking for $2 billion to be paid out on behalf of 282 plaintiffs linked to the event.

Travis Scott Names In $2 Billion In Damages From Astroworld

Recently the Astroworld tragedy claimed its ninth and tenth victims after two more victims passed away, including a ten-year-old child Ezra Blout who died from injuries sustained earlier this month.

The newest complaint was filed by attorney Thomas J Henry, Esq. on behalf of concertgoer Kristin Paredes.

“The defendants stood to make an exorbitant amount of money off this event, and they still chose to cut corners, cut costs, and put attendees at risk.” Henry said in a statement. “ My clients want to ensure the defendants are held responsible for their actions, and they want to send the message to all performers, event organizers, and promoters that what happened at Astroworld cannot happen again.’

Astroworld Claims Another Victim. Could Travis Have Done More?

We recently reported on the passing of nine-year old Ezra Blout who was the latest victim of the Astroworld stampede. His family has sued Travis Scott and Live Nation for negligence after the deadly Astroworld concert. A 22-year-old concertgoer has also died from her injuries as well bringing the death toll to 10.

Could Travis Scott have prevented their fates? Fire Chief Samuel Peña told the New York Times that Travis Scott and the organizers could have stepped in and paused the show.

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Travis Scott Said He Was ‘Devastated’ By The Deaths At Astroworld Festival In His First Interview Since 2021

November 15, 2023 by newhiphopnews

In the two years since the Astroworld Festival disaster, in which 10 people were killed and hundreds more were injured, Travis Scott has said very little about the incident. Part of that was out of necessity; aside from an interview in the immediate aftermath (which didn’t go well for him), he spent much of the next year out of the spotlight, and this year, he focused on rolling out his album Utopia and its promotional tour as efficiently as possible — perhaps to avoid a media furor over Astroworld.

But he had to address the disaster eventually, and it appears he chose a friendly forum to do so: GQ‘s Men Of The Year cover story. During the interview, he talked about taking a break from music due to the festival disaster and its mental impact on him.

“Making music, you think about things that go on in life and things that happen in your life, and you dial in on things. That moment for families, for the city, you know, it was devastating. And when it came to making, like even finishing the album…I got back into it probably like, I don’t know, months and months and months after. And the idea of just even getting back into music, working on music and just even getting into that, was therapeutic of being able to channel some of the energy into production and sounds and finishing it.”

Travis also said he was “overly devastated” by the deaths, comparing the fans to his own family. “I always think about it,” he admitted. “Those fans were like my family. You know, I love my fans to the utmost… It has its moments where it gets rough and…yeah. You just feel for those people. And their families.”

He’s still addressing the fallout from the festival, as well. While a court ruled he would not be charged with any criminal offenses in June this year, a massive combined lawsuit against him and Live Nation from the hundreds of victims and survivors is still ongoing.

Drake’s Astroworld Deposition Was “Several Hours” Long, Details Have Yet To Surface

November 10, 2023 by newhiphopnews

As one of the most recognized figures in the music industry, it’s not uncommon for Drake to run into legal issues. For the most part, the 36-year-old manages to stay out of trouble more than some of his contemporaries, though his performance at the 2021 Astroworld Festival with Travis Scott has been haunting him for the past two years. As his legal team previously argued, Champagne Papi had no part in planning the actual event, though he was on stage with La Flame during a massive crowd crush that caused 10 people to lose their lives two years ago.

“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy,” Drake wrote on his Instagram Story shortly after the incident. “I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself, My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and for anyone who is suffering. I will continue to pray for all of them, and be of service in any way I can. May God be with you all,” the Canadian further empathized.

Drake Deposed Two Years After Astroworld Tragedy

According to Rolling Stone, yesterday (November 9), Drizzy finally sat down for a deposition regarding the 2021 Astroworld Festival that lasted “several hours.” Details about the “Over” hitmaker’s conversation with authorities are sparse for now. “Due to orders in the case, I don’t feel it is appropriate to comment on the matter,” Drake’s team told the outlet when they reached out.

Many already know that the legal process is a typically slow-moving one. Aside from Drake’s deposition just now finally taking place, Travis Scott also has new lawsuits naming him. The father of two wasn’t given criminal charges by a grand jury. However, he still has several civil cases that have yet to wrap up. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

[Via] [Via]

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Travis Scott’s Phone Reportedly Lost At Sea, Can No Longer Be Used As Evidence In Astroworld Lawsuits

September 21, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott is currently in the midst of being sued by numerous individuals and groups. Overall, this is due to the tragic deaths and injuries that took place at the Astrworld Festival back in 2021. Ten people lost their lives during that show, and there are now hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. As we reported earlier this week, Scott was deposed for about eight hours on Monday. During this session, he cooperated with lawyers and offered as much information as he could pertaining to that concert.

According to Rolling Stone, some interesting details are now being brought to light pertaining to the deposition. At one point, Scott was asked to provide his cell phone. The plaintiffs wanted access to the phone so that they could check the records for anything relevant. However, there was just one major issue with that. As per Scott’s attorney, the phone had fallen off a boat. The location? The bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

Travis Scott On The Hot Seat

This, of course, is very inconvenient for those who are trying to get details on the case. Moreover, plaintiffs feel like this is a bit odd considering Scott’s legal team had previously said “no” to turning over the phone. The reasoning behind this was “seeking the disclosure of documents that are unreasonably cumulative or duplicative of other of the requests.” The phone is pretty well unrecoverable, and there is nothing the plaintiffs or Travis can really do about it.

Overall, this is a wild piece of the story that is going viral right now. Many are wondering how this will now affect the case, moving forward. This is a developing story, so stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news and updates. Moreover, let us know what you think of this, in the comments section below.

[Via]

The post Travis Scott’s Phone Reportedly Lost At Sea, Can No Longer Be Used As Evidence In Astroworld Lawsuits appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The Ongoing Astroworld Lawsuits Reportedly Left Travis Scott In Questioning For Hours

September 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Although Travis Scott will not face criminal charges in relation to the 2021 Astroworld Tragedy, the “Sicko Mode” rapper’s legal battle is far from over. According to Billboard, yesterday (September 18), Scott returned to Houston, Texas, for questioning in connection with the ongoing civil depositions.

Two sources told the publisher that the deposition lasted nearly eight hours. In a statement shared with the outlet, Scott’s spokesperson, Ted Anastasiou, addressed the matter.

“Travis Scott’s deposition is typical legal procedure,” said Anastasiou. “What is not typical is how the media continues to focus on him despite being cleared of any wrongdoing by extensive government investigations, including by the Houston Police Department. Travis is fully cooperating with the legal process while still remaining committed to his tour in support of his record-breaking album, Utopia, and his charitable efforts to support at-risk communities.”

The tragic incident, which supposedly led to thousands of injuries and nearly a dozen deaths, sparked an investigation by Congress to ensure public safety at future large-scale music events. Several families have quietly reached a settlement with Scott and the event’s promoter, Live Nation. However, Billboard revealed that there could still be upwards of 1,500 remaining active cases.

The first trial of the lawsuits is scheduled for May 6, 2024.

Travis Scott & Live Nation Settle Lawsuit With Third Family Over Astroworld Festival Tragedy: Report

August 4, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott and Live Nation have settled another lawsuit following the 2021 tragedy at Astroworld Festival. The Utopia rapper, Live Nation, Scoremore, a number of security companies, and festival organizers faced a lawsuit from the family of 14-year-old John Hilgert, who died during the crowd surge. However, the family withdrew the lawsuit in February, and according to Pitchfork, Scott and Live Nation have settled the case with them. It’s another step forward for Scott, who has continued to face scrutiny throughout the rollout of Utopia.

Hilgert’s family marked the third party to reach an agreement in their lawsuit over the deadly Astroworld Festival crush at NRG Park on Nov. 6th, 2021. The incident led to 10 deaths and thousands of injuries of concertgoers, many of which claim that authorities didn’t do much to prevent such an incident from occurring. Prior to Hilgert, the families of Axel Acosta and Brianna Rodriguez also settled their lawsuits against Travis Scott, Live Nation, and other parties involved with the concerts.

The Astroworld Festival Investigation

Travis Scott astroworld — HOUSTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 05: Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage)

The announcement of the Hilgert family’s settlement comes a week after Houston PD released a 1266 page report on the tragedy that occurred a year and a half ago. The report included interviews with Travis Scott and Drake, who were both on stage at the time of the crowd crush. Scott, specifically, stated that he was told “you got to wrap it up, it’s getting kinda hectic out there” in his earpiece, although he wasn’t aware of how severe the situation was until later that evening.

In July, a Harris County grand jury concluded that Travis Scott wouldn’t face charges related to the Astroworld Festival tragedy. Besides that, Scott’s continuing to push the release of Utopia, which is on pace to have one of the biggest opening sales weeks of 2023. The rapper’s latest project boasts appearances from Drake, Beyonce, Future, and plenty of others, along with production from The Alchemist, Wondagurl, BNYX, and Scott, himself. Check out our review of Utopia here.

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An Astroworld Victim’s Lawyer Called Out Travis Scott’s ‘Utopia’ Album Lyrics For Being: ‘Stunningly Tone-Deaf’

July 31, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott 2022 Primavera Sound Festival — Getty Image

Last week, a Texas grand jury declined to indict Travis Scott on criminal charges for his role in the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy. But his legal battles regarding the event are far from over.

With the release of his new album, Utopia, Scott attempted to temporarily put the pending case behind him. However, one song references the incident, which has reopen the devastating wounds for one of the Astroworld victim’s family. According to TMZ, lawyer Bob Hilliard, representing the family of the late Ezra Blount called out Scott for being insensitive.

“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,” Blount told the outlet.

The stanza in question appears in Scott’s song “My Eyes,” where Scott rapped, “I replay them nights, and right by my side, all I see is a sea of people that ride with me / If they just knew what Scotty would do to jump off the stage and save him a child.”

Blount’s family believes the line is an attempt by Scott to reframe the public’s view of him. In December 2021, Scott sat down for an interview with Charlamagne Tha God to discuss the tragedy. “I went through something, and I feel like fans went through something, and people’s parents went through something, and it really hurts,” he said. “It hurts the community. It hurts the city. There’s been a lot of thoughts, a lot of feelings, a lot of grieving, and just trying to wrap my head around it.”

Since then, Scott hasn’t released any other public statement related to the 2021 Astroworld Festival.

Travis Scott & Festival Organizers Not Facing Criminal Charges For Astroworld Tragedy

June 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott and the organizers of the Astroworld Festival will not face criminal charges over the deadly crowd rush that occurred during the event in November 2021. A grand jury in Houston reached this decision, concluding that there was insufficient evidence of criminal conduct by Scott, the festival manager, and others involved. While this outcome […]

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