Travis Scott Would Love to Help Houston ‘Heal’ After 2021 Astroworld Tragedy but Doesn’t Want to ‘Force a Reception’

Travis Scott recently reflected on the fatal 2021 Astroworld music festival.

Over four years since 10 people tragically died at a festival which took place in the rapper’s hometown of Houston, Scott, now 34, opened up in a Rolling Stone cover story published on Wednesday, Jan. 21 about the event and what he hopes he could do moving forward.

“When I did that festival, I was trying to bring something to where I’m from, and when you look back, it’s like a time that was supposed to be so enjoyable just went wrong,” he told the publication.

Scott continued, “I would love to heal that in the city. But I would also want people to be receptive [to it]. I don’t want to force a reception.”

He also claimed that because of the Astroworld tragedy, “there’s a distorted view of who I am and what I care about.”

Scott added, “I think there’s always been this distorted view of what I am. And it’s my responsibility just to keep showing what it really is.”

In November 2021, 10 audience members at his concert were killed and thousands were injured due to a crowd crush at NRG Park in Houston, Texas.

Two years after the Astroworld tragedy, Scott spoke with GQ for their Men of the Year Issue in November 2023, revealing how heavy that night still weighs on his heart.

“I always think about it. Those fans were like my family,” he said at the time. “You just feel for those people. And their families.”

Scott also elaborated on how that “overly devastating” time influenced the making of his 2023 album Utopia, saying it took “months and months and months” after that night to get back to his music.

“Making music, you think about things that go on in life and things that happen in your life, and you dial in on things. That moment for families, for the city, you know, it was devastating,” he added.

Scott also noted that it was “therapeutic” for him to be “able to channel some of the energy into production and sounds and finishing it.”

In December 2021 during his first post-Astroworld interview with Good Morning America, the “SICKO MODE” musician claimed he was unable to hear any screams for help when the crowd surge began, and claimed he stopped the show several times in order to ensure his fans were safe.

The morning after the accident, festival organizers released a statement that read, “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. With that in mind the festival will no longer be held on Saturday.”

It continued, “As authorities mentioned in their press conference earlier, they are looking into the series of cardiac arrests that took place. If you have any relevant information on this, please reach out to @HoustonPolice. Thank you to our partners at the Houston Police Department, Fire Department, and NRG Park for their response and support.”

While Scott had faced potential criminal charges, a Texas grand jury ultimately determined that he was not responsible and decided not to take action in June 2023. In May 2024, the remaining wrongful death lawsuit filed was settled, per Houston Public Media.

At the time, Scott’s attorney Kent Schaffer told PEOPLE in a statement, “Today’s decision by the Harris County District Attorney confirms what we have known all along — that Travis Scott is not responsible for the AstroWorld tragedy. This is consistent with investigative reporting by numerous media outlets and federal and state government reports that have squarely placed the onus for event safety crises on organizers, operators and contractors – not performers.”

He added, “While waiting patiently for the District Attorney’s decision to not file charges, Travis Scott has been inaccurately and wrongly singled out, despite stopping the show three separate times and being unaware of the events as they were unfolding. Now that this chapter is closed, we hope for the government efforts to focus on what is most important – stopping future heartbreaking tragedies like AstroWorld from ever occurring again.”