Travis Scott's legal team argues fan safety not artist's responsibility amid Astroworld lawsuits

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Travis Scott's legal team has filed a motion to dismiss lawsuits related to the tragic Astroworld music festival, arguing that the safety of fans is not the responsibility of performing artists, as reported by Billboard.

Under the guidance of attorney Daniel Petrocelli, Scott's legal team argues that their client should not bear responsibility for the tragic incident, despite the festival being promoted under Scott's name and branding.

Travis Scott's lawsuit dismissal motion raises eyebrows

Petrocelli's argument stated, "Like any other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals must balance exhilaration with safety and security—but that balance is not the job of performing artists, even those involved in promoting and marketing performances.” 

“Which only makes sense: Performing artists, even those who engage in certain promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety measures, venue security protocols, or site design.”

Scott's legal team argues that if Scott were to be held liable, his main responsibilities were "creative control" and "marketing." They asserted that he "made diligent efforts to mitigate every reasonably foreseeable danger."

“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 continued.

The tragic incident unfolded in November 2021 during the Astroworld music festival held in Houston, claiming the lives of eight individuals and leaving numerous others injured as a crowd surged toward the stage.

Reports indicate that instructions were given for the show to end after Mr Scott's guest performer's performance. Scott's legal team maintains that they promptly followed this directive, bringing the event to a close as instructed.

In June, a grand jury opted not to pursue criminal charges against Travis Scott, a decision that stirred significant public debate and scrutiny surrounding the responsibilities of artists and event organizers in ensuring crowd safety.

Additionally, Drake, who is also named as a defendant in multiple lawsuits, has filed a petition to be dismissed from the litigation. His legal team asserts that he was not informed of any security briefings or crowd control concerns during his short 14-minute performance at the concert.

The impending legal proceedings, scheduled to commence on May 6, will likely shed further light on the complex legal ramifications stemming from the Astroworld tragedy.

Travis Scott faces backlash over Astroworld lawsuit dismissals

Travis Scott faced a barrage of criticism from internet users following reports of the dismissal of lawsuits related to the Astroworld tragedy.

One user expressed frustration alleging, "Wasn’t the lawsuit alleging that he incited riots in his previous shows and did the same here even after people begged him to stop?" while the other user wrote, "He was literally telling kids to storm the stage and shit." 

Another user commented, "He still is held accountable BECAUSE he should’ve stopped the show until everything was calmed down.. but no he chose to encourage the outrageous behavior of the crowd and told them to storm the stage, etc."

Another user wrote, "He deserves to be a part of this lawsuit.. he did nothing to stop it, if other celebrities can stop their show when shit gets crazy SO COULD HE AND HE CHOSE NOT TO!!"

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