SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Rapper Travis Scott is not going to face felony costs for a lethal crowd surge at his 2021 Astroworld pageant.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KIM OGG: The grand jury of the 228th District Court docket of Harris County discovered that no crime did happen, that no single particular person was criminally accountable.

SIMON: Greater than 50,000 individuals attended the pageant in Houston, which had been promoted as a chaotic and even harmful live performance. Ten individuals have been crushed to loss of life on the occasion, and over a thousand individuals have been injured. Houston Chronicle music critic Joey Guerra has been following the investigation and choice to not indict Travis Scott. Thanks for being with us, Mr. Guerra.

JOEY GUERRA: Thanks for having me.

SIMON: You have been additionally a visitor on the live performance that evening. What did you see? What do you keep in mind?

GUERRY: I did see some issues that now, after I give it some thought, completely look like purple flags. I noticed, like, a small emergency automobile sort of going via the gang at one level. I noticed them taking somebody out on a stretcher. I feel whenever you’re within the second, particularly at an occasion like that after which having lined so many various out of doors festivals and massive reveals like that – these issues occur ceaselessly, so that they did not actually set off any main alarm bells for me on the time. It wasn’t till after that I spotted these have been a part of the larger, ongoing incident that was taking place.

SIMON: What do you make of the grand jury choice to not indict Travis Scott?

GUERRY: , I feel it is a very tough factor as a result of when festivals are this huge with an artist of his caliber, there are such a lot of individuals concerned. I imply, there’s actually dozens and dozens of, , heads of safety, heads of the occasion. , it was actually powerful for them to search out one particular particular person guilty, which is, once more, although, what I feel most individuals are in search of, proper? Most individuals are – need somebody guilty. And since Travis is the face, the title, the model of this occasion, he is the one that folks see as, , the first one that ought to have stopped this, who ought to have finished one thing.

SIMON: The Houston Police Division launched a 1,300-page report vital of what I will consult with as Travis Scott’s entourage. I ponder what you considered that report and if you happen to can inform us what they discovered.

GUERRY: In the end, the report pointed to a number of components that sort of exacerbated the scenario – an absence of coaching, an absence of expertise. , Travis Scott kind of promotes this tradition of chaos, proper? That does not actually lend itself to working these kind of issues in an organized style. The report actually stopped in need of placing the blame on any particular particular person. It did not say Travis was guilty.

SIMON: Mr. Guerra, you cowl these sorts of occasions and live shows. How concerned do stars and their entourage get within the safety considerations?

GUERRY: I feel the larger the star is, the much less direct involvement they could have with what’s actually being deliberate out for the day, for higher or worse, ? And I feel that is a part of what the police report cited, was that there was actually an absence of clear traces of communication, who was answerable for what. There have been individuals who have been inexperienced within the positions they have been. I imply, I do know that these kind of festivals rent principally youngsters typically to run safety that possibly stand on the again, that, , do sure issues in different areas. They’re hiring individuals for the week, so that they’re simply placing out sort of blanket advertisements – assist wished, , wish to work on the Astroworld Competition, wish to come at no cost? And, , you may have heaps of people that reply to those which are possibly followers that don’t have any actual coaching in any of those fields.

SIMON: I ponder when you have some feeling for the individuals who have been harmed and injured and the households of those that died. This was a human-made occasion, and so they’re feeling that some group of individuals needs to be held answerable for permitting this to occur.

GUERRY: I am unable to start to think about what these individuals felt or are feeling when these choices got here down as a result of that is kind of been what they have been in search of, someone to kind of be held accountable for all the things that occurred. There are civil lawsuits which are nonetheless pending. I feel numerous the explanation that we have not heard numerous details about different courtroom proceedings is as a result of there have been gag orders positioned. No person can actually discuss what is going on on or what’s taking place as a result of they don’t seem to be allowed to.

SIMON: We should always notice that Stay Nation, the occasion organizer, I suppose, has settled with the household of at the least one of many victims.

GUERRY: Sure, there have been two victims that settled to date that we all know of.

SIMON: Travis Scott’s simply launched his fourth studio album, “Utopia.” Are you able to hear it in his music, what occurred?

GUERRY: He, in a roundabout way, does deal with this. The music “My Eyes,” which talks about him being on stage and never with the ability to see and if he might, , he would save a toddler – the lyric is one thing alongside that line. That is one level. , I feel his music, for essentially the most half, sounds the way in which it all the time did, for higher or worse. And he is not likely, I feel, the kind of one that we’ll get bracing honesty from in his lyrics, proper? I imply, if you happen to take heed to this album, the majority of it’s about, , partying, and it is about isolation and wealth and loneliness and, , these various things that, , he says he goes via as a public determine.

SIMON: Are you able to inform what he feels for his viewers?

GUERRY: He does ceaselessly point out his followers. He talks about how they inspire him, how they’re the explanation he does what he does. And if you happen to discuss to those followers – like, there was a Netflix documentary that got here out that kind of chronicled how related his followers felt to him – principally younger males, principally Black and Latino males. That is a part of why he is been so profitable, is he has created this actually tight bond the place these individuals really feel like they know him.

SIMON: Joey Guerra is music critic with the Houston Chronicle. Thanks a lot for being with us.

GUERRY: Thanks.

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