Travis Scott Hit With $750 Million Lawsuit & Nike Cancels Rapper’s Sneaker in Wake of Astroworld Deaths
As the death of a 9-year-old fan raised Astroworld fatalities to 10, Scott and his festival face major lawsuits.
Travis Scott and Drake are among those named in a $750 million lawsuit filed Tuesday by a Houston lawyer on behalf of 125 Astroworld festival victims ,including the family of one man who died.
Axel Acosta, 21, was one of 10 concertgoers who died from injuries sustained during Scott’s performance when the crowd surged toward the stage.
In a statement to PEOPLE, a member of attorney Tony Buzbee’s legal team said Acosta’s death “was needless, and was the result of gross negligence.”
In the complaint, Buzbee alleges that Acosta went into cardiac arrest from being crushed in the crowd:
“When Axel collapsed, he was trampled by those fighting to prevent themselves from being crushed,” the lawsuit states. “As he lay there under a mass of humanity, dying, the music played and streamed on—for almost forty minutes.”
The complaint continues: “Axel Acosta loved and adored Travis Scott and the other performers at Astroworld—the feeling was not mutual; certainly, neither Travis Scott nor his exclusive partners, streaming service, record labels, handlers, entourage, managers, agents, hangers on, promoters, organizers, or sponsors cared enough about Axel Acosta and the other concertgoers to make an even minimal effort to keep them safe.”
Other named defendants in the $750 million suit include Apple Music, Live Nation, Epic Records, Scott’s Cactus Jack Records, and Tristar Sports & Entertainment Group, according to the complaint.
Drake was apparently named because he was a surprise performer at Scott’s festival and appeared on stage to perform their hit song, “SICKO MODE.”
Meanwhile, Nike has delayed the release of its latest Travis Scott sneaker collaboration in the wake of the tragedy which has left hundreds injured and 10 concertgoers dead, including 9-year-old Ezra Blount.
“Out of respect for everyone impacted by the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, we are postponing the launch of the Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack,” Nike said in a statement online.
Ezra’s father, Treston Blount, started a GoFundMe to cover his son’s medical expenses. Treston said Ezra was on his shoulders when the crowd began to crush them both until he fainted.
“I woke up and my son was gone and due to his severe injuries, which are swelling in the back of brain damage and trauma to nearly all organs we are certain that he was trampled and is still in induced coma,” the grieving dad wrote before his son passed.
According to NPR, the ages of those who died at the Houston music festival range from 9 to 27.
While Scott has already pledged to cover funeral costs and pay for free therapy sessions to survivors, the lawsuits will likely keep coming even as authorities launch a criminal investigation into the tragedy.
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