As tragic details pour in about Astroworld 2021, one of the most troubling aspects is the fact that the on-stage performances did not stop soon enough. Notably, Travis Scott and surprise guest Drake kept performing as a medical vehicle is seen entering the crowd. As of press time, eight people have died and numerous others have been hospitalized or injured in the wake of the music festival, which Scott and Live Nation organized. (Reunification information for victims’ families can be found here.)
According to users of Setlist.fm, Drake came out and performed four of his songs before joining Scott for their collaboration “SICKO MODE. In one video shared from the Astroworld crowd, a concertgoer climbs on top of a medical transport vehicle, with the pair not pausing at all. In grim irony, in the aforementioned video of the medical vehicle, Drake is heard rapping the lyrics, “spoiler alert, this n— dies,” which are taken from the song “Knife Talk.”
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Drake and Scott have been highly criticized for continuing their performance. The dancer — as well as concertgoers who insisted on filming the concert as the chaos erupted around them — have also been scrutinized. (It is worth noting that at one other point in the set, Scott drew attention to a fan in need, but he immediately went right back to performing.)
“I don’t understand how they don’t f—ing see an ambulance in the crowd,” one person tweeted. Another person wrote, “all the cameras filming the same thing, dude literally dancing on an ambulance as it tries to assist people dying and [Travis Scott] not stopping the show. what a f—ing disaster.” Yet another tweeted, “People were literally dying in front of them and they continued performing and just ignoring the fact that people were screaming for help screaming for their lives and ambulances were pulling into the crowd ???????”
As details continue to pour in, this portion of the performance is drawing more backlash from all angles. Scott’s girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, recorded videos for her Instagram Story that showed the medical vehicle struggling to make it through the crowd. The official Astroworld Instagram account also shared a photo from Drake’s appearance, celebrating the moment despite the disastrous situation that was unfolding. Neither Scott nor Drake has issued a statement about the tragedy. Astroworld issued a statement canceling the event’s second day while also controversially minimizing the deaths and injuries as a “series of cardiac events” under police investigation.
Those missing loved ones who attended Astroworld are told to call 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311. There is also a reunification center at Wyndham Houston – Medical Center Hotel & Suites, located at 8686 Kirby Drive in Houston.
