Travis Scott, Drake ‘partied’ after Astroworld tragedy
Travis Scott and Drake attended an Astroworld after-party reportedly “unaware” of deadly crush as it emerged a slew of lawsuits could cost the rappers’ “billions”.
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Travis Scott is facing new fury as it emerged that the rapper went to an after-party with Drake after eight people died at his Astroworld festival in Houston last Friday.
The two rappers attended a prearranged party at Dave & Buster’s, a US franchise restaurant, before becoming aware of the extent of the unfolding tragedy.
“Another source told TMZ: “Travis didn’t know the severity of the situation when he arrived at the party, as far as timing, this remains consistent with the fact that no one including the police had publicly confirmed the gravity of the events that had taken place,” a source reportedly told celebrity news site TMZ.
The source said Scott left the party when news of the eight deaths were confirmed.
According to the outlet, Drake did not have any knowledge of the tragedy at that point either.
But a “mass casualty event” had been declared by authorities half an hour before Scott cut his set short
Meanwhile, Scott and Drake could pay “billions” in damages after a lawsuit involving 68 people injured in the deadly crush was announced.
Powerhouse Texas lawyer Thomas J. Henry told media he is being contacted by more people “by the hour”.
“More and more injured victims are contacting my firm by the hour,” Mr Henry said.
“While we are all still working to understand the full scope of the Astroworld tragedy, I believe the damages suffered by its victims could total in the billions.”
The first attendee to launch legal proceedings is 23-year-old concertgoer Kristian Paredes whose complaint accuses Scott and Drake of “inciting mayhem” at the event.
Eight people were killed at the NRG stadium in Houston last Friday night, more than 300 people received treatment at an emergency field hospital set up there, 11 others went into cardiac arrest and dozens more were knocked unconscious.
‘MY HEART IS BROKEN’: DRAKE ISSUES STATEMENT
Drake, meanwhile, issued his first public statement on the “devastating tragedy” at the Astroworld Festival, where he made a surprise appearance before eight concertgoers were killed in a stampede.
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy,” he wrote in a post to Instagram.
“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,” he added.
“I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can.”
The Canadian rapper joined Scott on stage before the show at Houston’s NRG Park was shut down after the deadly crush of fans on Friday night.
Eight people were killed and more than 300 injured in what authorities have called a trampling accident during the first night of the two-day festival.
Since the incident, a number of lawsuits have been filed, including one that names Drake alongside Scott and promoters Live Nation.
The lawsuit states that Drake “helped incite the crowd”, who surged forward and caused the crush that resulted in the fatalities and injuries.
KIM KARDASHIAN COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF TRAVIS SCOTT
The statement comes as Kim Kardashian issued her own message of support for Travis Scott, saying that the rapper “cares so much for his fans”, after people were killed in a crush at his Astroworld Festival.
“Absolutely heartbroken for the lives who were lost and anyone who was hurt at Astroworld. Just like all of you, our family is in shock by the tragedy,’ Kim tweeted.
“We are keeping all of the victims, families and loved ones impacted in our prayers for healing – as well as Travis who we know cares so much about his fans and is truly devastated.”
Absolutely heartbroken for the lives who were lost and anyone who was hurt at Astroworld. Just like all of you, our family is in shock by the tragedy.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) November 9, 2021
Kim’s sister Kendall Jenner, 26, shared her own condolences, taking to Instagram on Tuesday to issue a statement.
“I’m still at a loss for words over the news from Astroworld. I’m truly broken for the families that have lost loved ones and my prayers go out to everyone involved,” the supermodel wrote.
“Sending everyone who has been affected all of my love and wishing them strength during this incredibly devastating and sensitive time.”
The Kardashians have come under intense scrutiny along with Scott, who has been with Kylie for more than four years.
‘TONE DEAF’: KHLOE SLAMMED
Khloe Kardashian has been slammed for being “tone deaf”, after she posted a series of sultry pictures to her social media account following the Astroworld tragedy.
The 37-year-old, who is the older sister of Travis Scott’s girlfriend Kylie Jenner, shared three pictures on Instagram on Monday of herself posing in a sheer bodycon dress.
She appears in full glam for the shots, one of which sees her combing her fingers through her long blond hair and others showing her striking poses in front of a white wall.
Her post was captioned with emojis of a panda, a zebra and paw prints in reference to her outfit’s animal print design.
But fans were quick to flood her comments section, calling out the The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star for her “bad timing” as heartbreaking details about Astroworld victims are continuing to emerge.
“Read the room. The first Astroworld victim was buried yesterday,” one person commented on the photos.
“Tone deaf. Shame on you [for real],” a second Instagram user agreed.
Another wrote, “People are watching you guys. I think we can pause this for a week or so after people died at TS concert [heart emoji] just a thought.”
The Good American founder has not released a statement of her own following the tragedy. However, she did repost her sister Kim Kardashian’s statement on her Instagram Story.
ASTROWORLD PROMOTED DEADLY CONCERT USING OMINOUS CLIPS
Astroworld Festival organisers used clips from a chaotic Travis Scott show in 2019, in which three people were injured, to promote the deadly concert in Houston.
Video shared on Astroworld Fest’s Instagram account in May shows delirious fans knocking over a security barricade in their rush to enter the concert, TMZ reports.
Three people were taken to a local hospital with minor leg injuries during the stampede at the November 9, 2019, event, according to Fox News.
The end of the promotional video teased the dates for this year’s concert which ultimately killed eight people who were crushed in a stampede on Friday. The clip started recirculating. following the tragedy. The FBI has since confirmed it has joined an investigation into the deaths at last week’s festival.
A nine-year-old boy is also fighting for his life after he was caught up in the Astroworld concert crush, according to a report.
Ezra Blount was in the audience on his father’s shoulders when the deadly stampede unfolded in Houston on Friday.
“My son had Ezra on his shoulders at the concert and my son couldn’t breathe because of all the pressure that was being applied to him and he passed out,” Ezra’s grandfather told KTRK-TV of the child.
“And when he passed out, Ezra fell into the crowd. He was trampled really bad.”
According to KTRK-TV, when the boy’s father woke at the concern venue’s medical point his son had already been taken to hospital in cardiac arrest. he is now in a coma, according to the family.
The New York Post reports the boy’s family has hired Ben Crump, a lawyer representing several other people against the concert organisers.
In a statement, Mr Crump said the child’s coma was medically induced in an attempt to combat his brain trauma.
EX-CHEERLEADER AMONG VICTIMS
A former cheerleader who “always lit up a room” was among the eight victims killed in the crowd crush at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas.
Madison Dubiski, 23, was at the concert with her younger brother Ty before they became separated during rapper Travis Scott’s headline act.
He tried to pull her to safety but she got caught up in the crowd, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Ms Dubiski worked in advertising and marketing and was a student at the University of Mississippi.
All eight victims killed in the fatal crowd surge at Friday’s concert in Houston, Texas, have now been identified by their family and friends.
The youngest victim was identified as 14-year-old schoolboy John Hilgert, a keen baseball player.
University student Axel Acosta, 21, who was also killed, had travelled from Washington state to watch the rapper perform in Houston.
Family members said it was the first time he had attended such an event.
Student Franco Patino, 21, Danish Baig, 27, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, Jacob Jurinek, and Rudy Pena, 23, were also among the victims.
As the fallout from the tragedy grows, sick trolls have sent Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner’s toddler daughter Storms sick death threats, with one Twitter user branding the rapper a “devil”.
Scott’s daughter Storms was in the VIP box alongside her mother at the festival before the pair were rushed out of the festival after the fatal crowd surge.
Meanwhile, chilling footage has emerged of the controversial rapper appearing to spit on a man several years ago at a concert after repeatedly ordering the crowd to “f–k” up a fan who tried to take one of his shoes.
In the footage, Scott stopped a July 2015 show to rage at a fan at Openair Frauenfeld in Switzerland.
“Get that motherf—er, get him!” he shouts, telling other fans, “F–k him up! F–k him up! F–k him up!”
The footage appears to show several people striking the fan as he tries to make his way to safety to a waiting security guard.
POLICE CHIEF WARNED RAPPER
Houston’s police chief reportedly told Travis Scott before Friday’s concert tragedy that the crowd could be difficult to control and to be aware of it.
Scott’s previous Astroworld festival, which was held two years ago in his Houston hometown, faced similar control issues for authorities but did not, thankfully, end in tragedy.
Scott later said that he didn’t know the situation in the Astroworld crowd was so bad after copping criticism that he didn’t do something to stop the show earlier.
According to a report in the New York Times, authorities braced themselves, adding dozens more officers from the Houston Police Department and more private security hired by Live Nation, the concert organiser.
Chief Troy Finner, who has a close relationship with Scott and has supported the rapper’s efforts to do good in his hometown, visited him in his trailer before the performance, according to The New York Times.
Chief Finner reportedly told Scott that the concert was full of “devoted” fans and that the energy had been growing among fans who were drawn to see the rapper, and drawn to the exuberance of seeing live music again after an almost two-year pandemic hiatus.
Fans reportedly flew in from all over the US and tickets went for hundreds of dollars. Primary schoolchildren were among the 50,000 fans.
The concern gave way to instant dread for authorities as soon as Scott took the stage at 9pm and the crowd surged uncontrollably.
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said that Scott and the organisers could have stepped in and stopped the show.
“The one person who can really call for and get a tactical pause when something goes wrong is that performer. They have that bully pulpit and they have a responsibility,” Chief Peña told the New York Times.
“If somebody would have said, ‘Hey, shut this thing down and turn on the lights until this thing gets corrected’ — and that coming from the person with the mic — I think could have been very helpful.”
Scott and promoter Live Nation have so far declined to answer specific questions, but they have said they will be co-operating with the investigation.
‘DISTRAUGHT’ SCOTT CANCELS GIGS
It was also revealed that a “distraught” Scott will not perform at a festival in Las Vegas this weekend, according to US reports.
The rapper’s headlining appearance at the Day N Vegas festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds was scheduled for this Saturday.
Sources have reportedly described Scott as “too distraught to play” and Variety reported that the rapper will provide full refunds for all fans who attended or bought tickets to Astroworld.
Rapper Roddy Ricch has vowed to donate his Astroworld pay to the families of those who tragically died at the show.
The 23-year-old was the first of 22 acts to take the stage in Houston on Friday – three hours before the fatal crowd surge.
Roddy wrote on his Instagram Stories on Saturday: “Please have the families of those who we lost yesterday reach out to @shawnholiday.
“I’ll [be] donating my net compensation to the families of this incident. #pray4houston.”
Shawn is a member of the Grammy winner’s management team associated with Columbia Records.
It’s not known exactly how much Roddy was paid for his 30-minute Astroworld set, but he has committed to donating all of it to the families of those killed.
In 2021, his net worth was estimated by CelebrityNetWorth.com to be around $10 million dollars.
Other stars to perform at the event included SZA, BIA, Master P and Metro Boomin.
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