Astroworld - the problematic celebrity culture
Travis Scott sat down with Charlamagne Tha God for his first interview since the Astroworld tragedy took place in Houston on November 5th, 2021. He is facing a lawsuit for millions as a result of the tragedy. On Friday, November 5th, around 9:30 p.m., eight people were killed and hundreds were hurt after crowds rushed toward the stage during Travis Scott’s concert at his Astroworld music festival in Houston at NRG Park. Concert catastrophes aren't inevitable which leads to the discussion of the problematic celebrity culture.
The problematic celebrity culture is a contributor to this tragedy. However, this case indicates the good sides of cancel culture. The use of social media and the spread of cancellation can actually be beneficial to prevent such incidents in the future. Celebrities that hold such events would become more aware of the fact that they could be cancelled if their audiences are harmed. Besides these preventive measures, there are actions that should have been done to prevent the crisis in the first place. Travis Scott is accused of not stopping the concert in time. Yet, Travis Scott’s team is applying to dismiss the Astroworld lawsuits and claim that he should not be responsible for the deaths and harm of the concert.
Houston officials continue to search for answers surrounding the incident. Police chief Troy Finner revealed on Saturday, November 6th, that “it’s now a criminal investigation that’s going to involve our homicide division, as well as narcotics''. In the days after the tragedy, some victims and their families filed lawsuits, claiming that this deadly chaos could have been avoided. They said that the safety issues of Scott's previous performances should prompt better protection. In a statement on “legal matters,” Live Nation said, “We continue to support and assist local authorities in their ongoing investigation so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time.” Travis Scott’s apology video on Instagram story is not making up for the harm he has caused for the victims. Other celebrities should also reflect on the potential social impacts through their influence. Through this tragedy, people are realizing how there should be higher standards for celebrities regarding morality and human decency rather than fame alone.
Even when the videos of the stampede were released on the internet, some of his fans were still debating on whether or not Travis Scott should be responsible for the accident. But the videos revealed fans in shock due to heavy blows and hypoxia. Some of the frightened people at the bottom of the stage shouted to Travis on the stage to stop the concert. Travis was indifferent and rather boldly asked if anyone else wanted him to stop. After that, he continued to perform, even while his fans were fainting and getting rescued. Some fans rushed to the stage to get attention and told the security staff that the situation was serious but were blocked. There was a nurse during the tragedy who said that a male fan next to her was squeezed and knocked to the ground. She noticed that because the crowd could not be evacuated, the security guard was overwhelmed and couldn’t help him at all. Finally, she could not find the male fan to check his pulse. When she finally found that fan, he had already died. However because there were not enough security and medical personnel, the body could not be taken out, and there was chaos all around.
While fans are attracted to hedonistic celebrities, they are also affected by celebrities' irresponsible and negative behaviors. Fame and arrogance make the celebrities often only see their own aesthetic values and ethics. When celebrities incited and promoted these values, they not only ignored the emotions of their fans, but also seriously ignored the safety of their fans. The greatest cost of this tragedy is the indelible loss he created to society. This fact is not going to change as time passes and no matter how many collabs and songs he releases, he will be unable to regain his credibility.
Work cited
https://www.vulture.com/2021/12/travis-scott-lawsuits-victims-families.html