Travis Scott is seeking the dismissal of lawsuits tied to 2021’s Astroworld Festival tragedy, asserting that performers aren't responsible for concert safety. The event resulted in 10 deaths and several injuries due to a crowd crush. Additionally, over 2,500 plaintiffs are seeking billions in damages from Scott, Live Nation, and other organizers for alleged negligence.
As reported by Billboard today (March 28), the rapper's legal team filed a motion in a Houston court claiming that Scott shouldn't be held accountable for audience safety as an onstage act. "Music festivals must balance exhilaration with safety and security, but that balance is not the job of performing artists," attorney Daniel Petrocelli told the publication.
Despite promotional involvement, his attorneys further argued that there’s no evidence to suggest negligence on his part. “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 shared. “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.”
The consolidated lawsuits are currently progressing through discovery in Texas state court. In October 2023, Scott was deposed by plaintiffs' attorneys for about eight hours. Meanwhile, the first trial is set to begin on May 6. Previously, other parties such as Drake — who also underwent several hours of questioning — and Apple sought dismissal from the legal actions.
Last year also saw Scott release UTOPIA, which featured Beyoncé, Future, SZA, and The Weeknd, among others. The project was initially slated to debut in 2021 but was seemingly put on hold following the Astroworld Festival incident. On “MY EYES,” the Houston native opened up about his daily struggles and the burdens he carried afterward.