Travis Scott is speaking in his first interview since the Astroworld music festival tragedy that left 10 dead.
He described the aftermath of the massive crowd at the Houston festival on November 5 as an “emotional rollercoaster” in an interview with Charlamagne Tha God published Thursday.
Scott said he did not learn of the deaths until “minutes before the press conference” held by local police.
“It becomes very difficult because, you know, I always feel connected to my fans. I went through something and I feel like the fans went through something and people’s parents went through something. And it really hurts. It hurts the community, it hurts. people”. city, “he said.
“It has been a lot of thoughts, a lot of feelings, a lot of pain,” said the rapper. “I’m just trying to understand it. I really just want to be there. I wish you could hug everyone, talk to them, have conversations. “
Charlamagne Tha God asked why the concert continued for another 40 minutes even after officials declared it a mass casualty event.
“They told me, ‘Immediately after the guests go on stage, we are going to finish the show.’ And that’s what we did. Other than that, there was no communication, “Scott said.
“They didn’t say, ‘Stop now?’” Charlamagne Tha God asked.
“No,” Scott replied.
Kylie Jenner, who is pregnant with her second child with Scott, said in an Instagram post after the chaos that she and Scott were not aware of any deaths until news broke after the show.
“We … in no world would we have continued filming or acting,” he said in the post.
His trial attorney, Edwin McPherson, previously said: “Travis Scott was unaware that a mass casualty event had been called.”
“No one told him, no one told his crew. When someone finally communicated something to his team that this was the last song that was around 10:10, Travis said ‘OK, last song’ and stopped her when they told him to, ”McPherson said.
During the interview with Charlamagne Tha God, Scott was asked about the “raging” culture at shows and whether it contributed to the crush.
“No, it’s something that I’ve been working on for a while just creating these experiences … as artists, we trust the professionals to make sure that if things happen, people leave safely,” he said. “At concerts, we have made it an experience of fun, not harm. It’s about letting go and having fun. “
When asked if he feels any responsibility for the festival’s tragedy, Scott admitted that he does.
“I have a responsibility to find out what happened here. I have a responsibility to find the solution,” he said. “Hopefully this represents a first step for us as artists, having more information about what is happening.”
Scott offered to pay for all funerals for the victims, but some families declined the gesture. The family of the youngest victim, 9-year-old Ezra Blount, was among those who rejected the offer.
The Blount family’s attorney, Bob Hilliard, said in an email to Scott’s attorney last month that while he has no doubt that Scott feels remorse for Ezra’s death, the artist “must face and hopefully see that he bears part of the responsibility for this tragedy. “
Speaking of those rejected offers, Scott said: “All things are understandable. The moment they are grieving and trying to find understanding, they want answers. I have to keep showing up for that. “
He revealed that he was able to speak to some of the families who lost loved ones at the concert and that he was “thankful” even to have those conversations.
He offered a message to the families of the victims saying, “I am always here. I am in this with you and I love you. I will always be there to help you get through this.”
“It’s not just a thing of the moment, it’s a thing forever. These people who came to the show, they are my family. I’ve always had that connection with the people who listened to the music or came to my shows. And that’s why it is. very difficult for me, “he continued.
“I just want to always be there for them,” he said, promising to be “a number one voice” for future concert safety.
More than 300 lawsuits have been filed in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Scott denied the allegations made in various lawsuits against him and requested that they be dismissed in documents filed Monday.
Scott’s representatives said the filings are a standard response to the lawsuits by denying legal liability.
All of those lawsuits have been consolidated and will be handled by a judge as cases progress through the court system, according to an order issued Tuesday by the Harris County District Courts Civil Trial Division Board of Judges. in Houston, The Associated Press. reported.
“This consolidation will promote the expeditious and efficient administration of justice,” said the two-page order.