Rapper Aubrey Graham known as Drake has released a statement after he made a surprise appearance at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.
The Astroworld Festival killed eight and injured over 300 after a deadly crowd surge.
The rapper, 35, has spoken following the incident revealing his “heart is broken” for the people who lost their friends and families on the canceled festival at NRG Park in Houston, Texas on Friday, Nov. 5.
Drake dropped a statement issued on Instagram on Monday, Nov. 8 to address the issue.
He wrote,
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy,I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself. My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering.”
According to him,he “will continue to pray for all” and “will be of service in any way” he can, writing, “May God be will you all.”
Chaos erupted on Friday night at around 9:30 p.m. local time after Travis took the stage for a crowd of roughly 50,000. A crowd surge where attendees began to “compress” toward the stage resulted in a stampede, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said. “That caused some panic, and it started causing some injuries,” Peña told CBS News.
Per CBS News,
Eight people have been confirmed as dead, while 25 were hospitalized. Over 300 people were injured. A number of lawsuits have since been filed against Travis, Live Nation, and other companies affiliated with the event. One civil suit also states Drake, who made a surprise appearance alongside Travis at the festival on Friday evening, as a defendant. Plaintiff Kristian Paredes filed the suit against both rappers and accused them of “negligently inciting a riot and violence.
Paredes’ suit alleged that Travis “incited mayhem and chaos at prior events,” while Drake “helped incite the crowd even though he knew” of Travis’ “prior conduct” and “continued to perform on stage while the crowd mayhem continued.” Following the tragic incident, the “SICKO MODE” rapper’s history of criminal charges at past concerts has taken center stage. At Lollapalooza in 2015, Travis was charged for reckless conduct after encouraging fans to rush the stage. He was charged again in 2017 for inciting a riot at his show at the Arkansas Music Pavilion, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.
Travis took to Twitter to issue a statement after the tragedy.
He wrote: “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival. Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support.”
