Travis Scott Accused Of Violating Gag Order In Astroworld Fest Suit

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Travis Scott performs onstage during the third annual Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
A lawyer for the family of one of the victims claims Travis Scott violated a gag order with the announcement of Project HEAL.

Travis Scott is facing new accusations in the Astroworld Festival trial. Lawyers for the victims' families have called out Scott for violating a gag order with the announcement of Project HEAL, a $5M initiative focused on event safety. Scott announced the initiative earlier this month, sparking outrage among those affected by the tragedy that took place at the 2021 festival.

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Bob Hillard, an attorney representing 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest victim who died during the festival, claimed that Scott's announcement addressed concert safety, which is one of the main concerns of the lawsuits. A gag order was put on the lawyers to solely discuss facts on the case rather if they choose to speak to the media. However, State District Judge Kristen Hawkins made it clear that no lawyers should make a case on social media or any other media platform. Hillard told the judge that  Scott "did affect and dent the power of your order" when he announced Project HEAL. 


One of Travis Scott's attorneys, Stephen Brody, pushed back against claims that Scott violated any orders in the case. Brody said the rapper has a history of giving back to his community and argued that preventing Scott from speaking on any issue is a violation of his free speech. Brody added, "to suggest somehow that speaking about those charitable initiatives ... runs afoul of the publicity order ... is certainly not something that would withstand scrutiny.

There's a good chance that modifications to the gag order will pass in the coming weeks. Per AP news, attorneys for ABC News told Judge Hawkins that the gag order has prevented journalists and reporters from accurately reporting on the case, especially since lawyers are already hesitant to speak to the press. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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