By Daesha Gear
Travis Scott concerts have always been out of control, but the deadly show on Nov. 5 was beyond outrageous and the rapper enabled his fans’ ruthless behavior.
It seems like the rapper has no control over his chaotic fanbase as they went “Sicko Mode” during his performance. Scott’s 2021 Astroworld Festival was a senseless, preventable tragedy. The rapper and event organizers need to be held accountable.
There were signs that the event would be a disaster. However, the show went on and it warrants an investigation for negligence.
Hours before Scott made his appearance, hundreds of fans — some possibly without tickets — razed their way to gain access to the event. Security could not keep up as they were outnumbered by “Ragers,” or Scott’s fanbase.
The fact that fans outnumbered security raises a red flag since it was impossible for them to make their authority known to Scott’s barbaric fandom.
It is embarrassing that individuals would act so absurdly and endanger their and others’ lives to see an A-list celebrity who does not even know who they are.
However, that was just the beginning as Scott’s Astroworld Festival transpired into something out of this world, involving a mass casualty in a riot-like stampede, according to witnesses.
“It felt like a riot,” Albert Merza, a concert attendee, told Reuters. “There were people throwing out stuff, objects flying everywhere.”
So far, eight people have been trampled to death, and hundreds were injured in a senseless tragedy that could have been de-escalated.
Scott’s fans pleaded for the show to stop as individuals were buried under others, passing out or resuscitated by the paramedics.
It’s expected of Scott to care for his fans in their untimely circumstances and be a hero for them, but he fooled everyone. When his fans needed him the most, he acted like they never existed.
Scott nonchalantly continued singing while his fans cried out for help. The courteous thing the rapper could have done was stop his show and ask his fans to be civilized during his performance.
It took Scott 40 minutes to call for security, but the damage was already done.
Apparently, it was too difficult for the rapper to enforce crowd control as he was so self-absorbed in his own world, watching his fans die below him.
With Scott failing to use his authority to call out his fans’ destructive behavior, it exposes how the rapper enables and creates a toxic environment.
Past concerts included fans stage diving into the crowd, which undoubtedly ended in bodily harm. Still, the rapper seemingly enjoys promoting negative behavior among his fanbase.
In Scott’s song, “STARGAZING,” one quote reads, “And it ain’t a mosh pit if ain’t no injuries, I got ‘em stage divin’ out the nosebleeds.”
According to the rapper, bragging about your fans injuring themselves while listening to his rap music is something in which to have pride. It’s not “hype” or “lit” when fans are fighting for their lives to avoid getting trampled on while attending your concert, Scott.
This time around, it turned deadly with that same toxic mindset, and now the rapper is devastated — shockingly.
“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night,” Scott tweeted. “My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival.”
If Scott was indeed “devastated,” he should have stopped performing, but he allowed this tragedy to persist. Now eight people cannot go back to their families due to his lack of authority.
Scott’s main issue is that he has no control over the toxic community he created and lacks the courage to confront the problem due to his own ego.
If Scott wants to confront his community’s wrongdoing, it starts with his attitude in the songs he writes. The rapper needs to stop encouraging the terrible acts his fans are committing to others or themselves. Instead, he needs to confront those issues and be a role model, not an instigator.
Right now, Scott is not the solution — he is the enabler toward his toxic fanbase, feeding the head of the snake that spiraled out of control and claimed the lives of its own fanbase.