Megan Thee Stallion cancels Houston show ‘out of respect’ for Astroworld victims

‘It’s important that our community be given the appropriate time to grieve’

Megan Thee Stallion has cancelled an upcoming concert in Houston “out of respect” for the victims of the Astroworld festival tragedy.

On 5 November, a massive crowd surge during rapper Travis Scott’s performance at the Houston-based Astroworld festival left 10 people dead and many more injured. More than 50,000 people had gathered at the site of the former Houston Six Flags park, catching event organisers off-guard, and leaving emergency medical responders overwhelmed.

Stallion was due to perform at Live Nation’s 713 Music Hall in Houston this Friday (3 December) but has now cancelled the event following the tragedy.

In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, Stallion said: “Houston is still healing and it’s important that our community be given the appropriate time to grieve.”

She added: “My heart goes out to all the families that are suffering during this difficult time.”

Travis Scott (AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the family of Ezra Blount, the youngest Astroworld victim, has rejected rapper Travis Scott’s offer to pay for the nine-year-old’s funeral.

Responding to Scott’s letter expressing remorse over Ezra’s death and an offer to cover the boy’s funeral expenses, the Blount family lawyer Bob Hilliard wrote: “Your client’s offer is declined. I have no doubt Mr Scott feels remorse. His journey ahead will be painful. He must face and hopefully see that he bears some of the responsibility for this tragedy.”

Scott’s lawyer Daniel Petrocelli sent the letter to Mr Hilliard and his co-counsel Ben Crump last Wednesday (24 November), a day after Ezra’s family laid him to rest, Rolling Stone reported.

“Travis is devastated by the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival and grieves for the families whose loved ones died or were injured,” Mr Petrocelli’s letter read. “Travis is committed to doing his part to help the families who have suffered and begin the long process of healing in the Houston community. Toward that end, Travis would like to pay for the funeral expenses for Mr Blount’s son.”

However, in their response, the Blount family said losing Ezra was like “a faucet of unimaginable pain that has no off handle”.

“To lose a child in the manner Treston lost Ezra compounds the pain,” Mr Billiard said, adding: “As a parent, Treston cannot help but agonise over the terrible idea that Ezra’s last minutes were filled with terror, suffering, suffocation and worst of all, surrounded by strangers, his dad unconscious underneath the uncontrolled crowd.”

Ezra was on Mr Blount’s shoulder during the deadly concert, when he fell and became separated from his father. Mr Blount passed out from the crowd pressure and the family found Ezra at a nearby hospital.

Having suffered organ damage and brain swelling, Ezra remained in a medically-induced coma on life support, but succumbed to his injuries on 14 November.