Annabella Castillo, contributor

Travis Scott’s performance at the 2021 Astroworld festival was perhaps one of the greatest cases of negligence in the music industry in the past decade. Despite hiring more security than previous years, the event team allowed hundreds – if not thousands – of people to sneak through the gate. Their excuse was that the crowd “rushed” the entrance, but that’s something they should have been prepared for. It’s also possible, though not proven, that they oversold tickets. Whatever the cause, the venue was completely overcrowded, and the death toll has recently risen to ten – the newest of which was a nine-year-old boy.

At the end of the day, all of the responsibility lands on Scott, his team and the event staff. When there is a concert or public event, the expectation is that those attending will be safe. Crowds are often erratic, and that should be taken into account when organizing an event. The truth is that the crowd at Astroworld is not at fault – they were packed so tightly together that they were unable to control their movements, a phenomenon known as a “crowd surge.” This happens when there is so little space that any slight movement spreads, creating a “wave” effect when seen from above or on stage.

Scott asked the crowd multiple times throughout his performance how they were doing, and received positive feedback. Some people raised their hands in the air to indicate that they were okay. Additionally, a camera man chose to ignore two concert goers who climbed up above the crowd and shouted to “stop the show” because people were dying around them. To make matters worse, Scott’s team is doing everything they can to shirk their responsibility.

When faced with the possibility of several lawsuits, the response was to offer refunds with a hidden agenda: fine print that detailed the person accepting was waiving their right to sue. Along with this, Scott released an “apology video” on YouTube in which he shows little to no remorse. His tone is level and he genuinely seems disinterested. He’s seen rubbing his head many times throughout the video, suggesting that he’s trying to remember what his coaches told him to say. His apology post on Twitter carries the same level of indifference; In less than three paragraphs, he says that he is “devastated” and that Houston PD has his “total support.” 

It’s clear that Scott has been coached, both for his apology video and post. Though he says that his fans mean “everything to him,” he doesn’t seem in any way emotional by the fact that his concert led to ten deaths. This is just another example of how celebrities are disconnected and often think that they can avoid the consequences of their actions because of their fame or notoriety. 

Travis Scott, his team, and the event staff should be held accountable for the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld festival. Those who died were young, their long lives ahead of them stolen by negligence and a complete disregard of their safety. I hope that their families are able to pursue justice for their loved ones and that all those involved can move on from the incredibly traumatic experience.