Public Enemy frontman Chuck D has issued a stern warning to Live Nation and other giant promoting companies, imploring them to step up their game in the wake of the deadly Astroworld Festival. On Friday (November 19), the powerful orator issued a press statement obtained by HipHopDX (which he later posted to Instagram) that berated the company for not taking full accountability for the tragic incident that occurred on November 5.
Chuck also defended Scott, who took a lot of the blame for not stopping his performance as soon as he noticed an ambulance making its way through the crowd of over 50,000 people.
“I cannot believe we’re at a point where I gotta say this out loud: Travis Scott is a performer, an act, not a concert promoter,” he wrote. “He doesn’t run the sound or venues or festivals or their staff. He doesn’t build stages or coordinate logistics, he’s not an expert in crowd control or security or emergency medical services. But he does trust Live Nation and all the other concert promoters who are supposed to do all of this. And yet here we are, 10 deaths and counting. 10 broken families. The world is mourning.”
Live Nation issued a statement shortly after the tragedy unfolded, saying, “Our hearts are with the Astroworld Festival family tonight — especially those we lost and their loved ones. We are focused on supporting local officials however we can.” They also offered full refunds to anyone who attended the ill-fated show. But Chuck D explained why that isn’t enough and posed some valid questions while addressing Scott’s tendencies to “rage” at this shows.
“I’m tired of these corporations shucking their most crucial responsibility,” he continued. “These folks simply say Rest In Peace and move on. This negligence can’t continue. Folks want answers. I’m not buying the Young Black Man did it. He’s being blamed for a crime while the old white men running the corps that Travis and his fans trusted with their lives stay quiet in the shadows, counting their money and watching their stock prices go up and up. The excuse of Scott’s irresponsible actions don’t wash – if his act had a history of that behavior why promote him to bigger venues, why partner with him in the first place and let him headline a bigger audience?”
Travis Scott Under Fire For Continuing To Perform For 37 Minutes As Astroworld Tragedy Unfolded
Instead, he says “Live Nation controlled the show” — not Scott. “Artists ain’t speaking out because these same cats are already bought by these corporations,” he said. “No one can say a word against them unless they want to be Blacklisted and hurt their careers. So I am calling on Michael Rapino’s entire team at Live Nation and a consortium of all the major concert promoters out there to do the right thing. To step up and step out of the shadows to fix these situations and save lives. To stop letting one Young Black Man take the blame, the hate, the fall.
“We don’t know everything that happened or exactly what failed. But concert promoters have all the power to make the changes to keep everyone safe and alive. Live Nation, your stock is up. The White Corporate Music Biz keeps cashing in on Black Pain, Trauma and Death. This has to stop yesterday. You’re part of the problem. Grow the fuck up, fix this and let us all LIVE in PEACE.”
Ten people lost their lives and hundreds of others were injured as a result of the Houston festival. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against Live Nation, Travis Scott, Apple and Drake (who was Scott’s special guest that evening) for gross negligence, totaling billions of dollars. Harris County released the names of the initial eight victims on November 8: Mirza Baig, 27, Rodolfo Peña, 23, Madison Dubiski, 23, Franco Patiño, 21, Jacob Jurinke, 20, John Hilgert, 14, Axel Acosta Avila, 21, and Brianna Rodriguez, 16.
Two others who were severely injured in the melee — 22-year-old Texas A&M University senior Bhari Shahari and 9-year-old Ezra Blount — later succumbed to their injuries, bringing the death toll to 10.
Finally someone with a functioning brain to explain it to these idiots on their witchhunt.
you sad little boy 🙁
You sound crazy and y’all except these artist to raise your kids and be security that’s crazy they called him to preform that’s it that camera man was told by people to stop the show he ignored him and said nothing but no one saying nothing about that and it was a time Travis paused the show to see what was going on the commotion started before he even came on they could have stopped it then but they didn’t so stop
OoOoOoh ppl are dying but I’m just a performer so it’s okey if I don’t stop the show to preventing more ppl from dying!!!
Whatever. I’m tired of artists accepting people money to get rich but never wanting to bare any responsibility afterwards. Poor rich Travis my ass. I guess that kept him off the blacklist then too. His family lives not the only ones that have a right to be protected. He’s not burying his child. Stop playing money games with the people lives that make you rich.
You sound crazy and like it’s a sin for a black man to be rich. His job is to preform that’s what he gets paid for I seen the video it seems to be the faults of the live nation they told the camera man stop the show he ignored them and did not tell Travis shit he did not know exactly what was going on and this commotion started before Travis even came on stage so stop blaming the artist and it’s every parent responsible to keep there own kid safe not Travis mine wouldn’t have been there unless they were back stage with his so stop already
so why bring chuck d in to this.
Because people were like teyana taylor who? Cancel that bish. And Chuck you a legend in the game but if you salute this shit my ninja they can cancel yo ass too.
Cool to see no black person is responsible for anything ever no matter what its always whitey
3…..2…..1……and here comes the race card. Go hide somewhere please!
Rich white men came. Boom boom, they murdered poor black PhDs.
Go deal with the soaring Opioid addiction rates in your suburbs man.
Chuck D has no valid argument so he throws in the race card….how original. Poor young black Travis taking the blame for the old crusty white men…how original. Doesn’t matter what colour his skin was, people would still point their finger at him. You are not exonerated of any blame simply because you’re black and therefore a “victim”. Last time I checked these “white-run” companies and corporations don’t hold guns to the heads of their signees. Vast majority of companies are faceless and therefore harder to blame in these situations. Travis was the headliner, the figurehead, the performer on the stage whilst young people were trampled on below. Right or wrong you can easily understand why he’s taking a lot of the blame. Nothing to do with race Chuck. I’m disappointed in you.
Grow a pair of balls and take responsibility it don’t matter what colour your skin is. If you mess up in life don’t be a bitch and say it’s cos I’m black. Real men don’t complain they keep it moving and work harder. A lot of moaning and whining from this new female era
STFU
Same can be said to your candy a$$…STFU!
Tell that to the actual culprits/audience members who ACTUALLY caused this
Chuck D might have recent inside knowledge about security and promotions at big crazy festival shows considering he played with Prophets of Rage before the pandemic. But 10 people didn’t get stampeded at any of those shows and I’m sure pretty much every night they had to scan and engage the crowd just to make sure no one got hurt in the mosh pit. So if he has some smoking gun that clears Travis Scott we would love to hear it.
Chuck D…maybe you should contribute financially to families dealing with the Astroworld loss since you want to insert yourself into this very serious matter. Lives were lost at a concert. Travis Scott is the face of Astroworld. Get out of here with your foolishness.
All emotion, no logic.
It ‘s his business. He was part of one of the biggest rock acts of the last 20 years with Prophets of Rage who sold out arenas and stadiums all around the world and also released a classic album of all hits. Acting like he’s some old fool who has no idea doesn’t help anyone because he has every idea he played more big shows the last 5 years than ANY RAPPER PERIOD
Chuck D is as full of as some on these comments. I went to a Shinedown concert about 3weeks ago and there was an altercation in the crowd. The band stopped the show immediately and wouldn’t play until the fight was done. I’ve been to excess of 200+ concerts in my lifetime and I have never seen what I witnessed from the videos of Houston. Travis Scott, Live Nation and the Astrodome are responsible! That 2 billion dollar lawsuit is going to be hard to swallow. Open up
Chuck D couldn’t have made more racist comments. Let’s blame old white men ignorance is bliss nuff said. By the way public enemy were the worst rap group ever a Crack head with a clock and Chuck dumb ass D.
This is why Chuck D made the comments because dumb racists take every opportunity to spread hate against black folks because of their molecular inadequecies that leave them obsessed with both stupidity and their own unknown racial status and backgrounds. Read Dr. F.C Welsing or Amos Wilson then you will understand why these people can’t leave us alone. Still doesn’t make Travis Scott right or less culpable but I appreciate Chuck looking out for the dude under these circumstances
If Travis Scott was white and 10 black persons died at the festival, racist Chuck D would say something completely different. Can’t believe that B-real made an album wit this racist guy!
So Chuck D means to tell me that Travis Scott was looking at his fans dying and he kept on singing and it’s the white man’s fault that the people died? Wasn’t Roc Nation’s founded by a black male??
So you mean to tell me that a bunch of dumb a** groupies were acting like mindless savages stomping/trampling each other and not noticing that they’re killing each other and it’s the artists fault? Take some f*cking accountability for your own actions and stop blaming everybody else for be a dumb a** groupie who doesn’t know how to act when they see an artist or go to one of their concerts!
That’s what happens when you hire the lowest bidder. And if it’s the old white men’s fault….why do you chose to work with them?
Deflection and misdirection.
Can’t believe that this man becomes such a racist person, first tha r Kelly comments, now this. He lost my respect! Protesting against racism is completely different than wat he does he simpely promotes hate and racism! Terrible person! Rip to all the young persons that lost there life’s because an selfish rapper did not care about he’s fans!
First a #RestInPower for Colin Powell, now this… Don’t be surprised if Chuck D replaces Al Sharpton on CBS in a few years time. What a shill!
About time somebody said the truth! A bunch dumb a** groupies trampling each other like savages and killing each other to be close to the stage and want to blame the artist and everybody else but themselves for acting like dumb a**es! Not to mention the promoters not having enough staff on hand to try and control all of those groupie savages.
I can tell there’s a bunch of little white piece of sh** commenting too. Why? White people take ABSOLUTELY no accountability for their actions and love to blame everybody else. One even called him a “shill” <—(white trash slang)… Lmfao
Boriiiiiiing
I wonder how many of those groupies were laughing as they trampled and killed their fellow concert goers trying to get to the front of the stage 1st? They were probably jumping right over them making jokes…. but it’s Travis Scott’s fault! FOH!