Drake fans think it's 'nuts' rapper is co-headlining a concert after Astroworld tragedy

Drake is set to return to the stage less than two months after performing at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival where a crowd surge resulted in the deaths of 10 concertgoers and injured hundreds of others.

The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how ‘nuts’ it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 tragedy.

Too soon? Drake is set to return to the stage less than two months after performing at Travis Scott's deadly Astroworld Festival

Too soon? Drake is set to return to the stage less than two months after performing at Travis Scott’s deadly Astroworld Festival

‘Drake and Kanye having a free concert is nuts, it’s gone be astroworld all over again,’ one Twitter user reacted in horror — though the show will not be free as it is a ticketed event that will be made available to the public for purchase on Monday, November 22.

‘drake got cool with kanye to take attention off his astroworld involvement,’ alleged one Twitter user, while another mirrored their sentiment by admitting they found the timing of the concert announcement to be ‘suspect.’

‘I think if anything is weird, it’s that these announcements like who kim is dating and drake and Kanye performing together are all convenient… distractions from the 2 Billion dollar Astroworld lawsuit,’ speculated another user.

‘Drake and Kanye are besties now?! The timing couldn’t be more suspect,’ tweeted one user, though Kanye did have unusual words of praise for Drake in the first part of his Drink Champs interview from earlier this month. 

Concert tragedy: During Travis Scott's headlining set at Astroworld — which Drake joined him for — the crowd surged toward the stage. The resulting crush led to the deaths of 10 people; Scott seen on November 5

Concert tragedy: During Travis Scott’s headlining set at Astroworld — which Drake joined him for — the crowd surged toward the stage. The resulting crush led to the deaths of 10 people; Scott seen on November 5

Pushback: Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how 'nuts' it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 traged - NOTE: Twitter user wrongly posted that the concert is 'free'

Pushback: Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how ‘nuts’ it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 traged – NOTE: Twitter user wrongly posted that the concert is ‘free’

Speculation: 'drake got cool with kanye to take attention off his astroworld involvement,' alleged one Twitter user,' while another mirrored their sentiment by admitting they found the timing of the concert announcement to be 'suspect'

Speculation: ‘drake got cool with kanye to take attention off his astroworld involvement,’ alleged one Twitter user,’ while another mirrored their sentiment by admitting they found the timing of the concert announcement to be ‘suspect’

Distracted? 'I think if anything is weird, it's that these announcements like who kim is dating and drake and Kanye performing together are all convenient... distractions from the 2 Billion dollar Astroworld lawsuit,' speculated another user

Distracted? ‘I think if anything is weird, it’s that these announcements like who kim is dating and drake and Kanye performing together are all convenient… distractions from the 2 Billion dollar Astroworld lawsuit,’ speculated another user

Moving fast: Another person doubted the two rappers could be friends so quickly

Moving fast: Another person doubted the two rappers could be friends so quickly

One user theorized that ‘drake and kanye only friends now bc drake is gonna need some help with those astroworld lawsuits.’

Another person was viscerally upset by the collaboration.

‘Y’all thought that astroworld event was bad… this Kanye and drake thing finna make y’all sick to y’all stomach,’ they wrote, seemingly suggesting that an even greater tragedy would result.

Other people were convinced that Kim Kardashian’s budding romance with Pete Davidson was somehow a ploy to distract from the Astroworld deaths.

‘People saying Kim and Pete being together is to take attention from astroworld,’ read one tweet. ‘If anything all this Kanye and drake s*** is.’ 

Legal trouble: One user theorized that 'drake and kanye only friends now bc drake is gonna need some help with those astroworld lawsuits'

Legal trouble: One user theorized that ‘drake and kanye only friends now bc drake is gonna need some help with those astroworld lawsuits’

Escalating: 'Y'all thought that astroworld event was bad... this Kanye and drake thing finna make y'all sick to y'all stomach,' they wrote, seemingly suggesting that an even greater tragedy would result

Escalating: ‘Y’all thought that astroworld event was bad… this Kanye and drake thing finna make y’all sick to y’all stomach,’ they wrote, seemingly suggesting that an even greater tragedy would result

Conspiracy theories: Other people were convinced that Kim Kardashian's budding romance with Pete Davidson was somehow a ploy to distract from the Astroworld deaths

Conspiracy theories: Other people were convinced that Kim Kardashian’s budding romance with Pete Davidson was somehow a ploy to distract from the Astroworld deaths

Earlier this week, a source told TMZ that Drake was still ‘reeling from what happened at Astroworld’ and had decided to pull his song from fellow rapper French Montana’s forthcoming album.

The Motto rapper was wrapped up in the tragedy after he joined Travis Scott — who founded the festival — for his headlining set on November 5. 

At around 9:30 p.m., people in the crowd began surging toward the stage, and the resulting compression several injured hundreds of people and ultimately left eight people dead, though two more injured attendees died in the days following the tragedy.

The compression was severe enough that many people in the front of the crowd were squeezed together so tightly that they couldn’t breathe, while others lost their footing in the rush and were trampled.

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said during a news conference that around 50,000 people were in attendance at the height of the festival, and several people were trampled in the ensuing chaos of the surge.

The crowd may have been larger than expected, as people who may not have had tickets rushed the gates when the festival first opened earlier in the day.

One attendee told CNN that the crowd got restless and began to squeeze her toward the stage as a timer began to count down the last half hour until Scott’s set began.

Crushed: The Associated Press quoted attendees who claimed that barricades erected to create exclusive VIP areas prevent people swept up in the surge from escaping

Crushed: The Associated Press quoted attendees who claimed that barricades erected to create exclusive VIP areas prevent people swept up in the surge from escaping

The Associated Press quoted other people in the crowd who claimed that barricades erected to create exclusive areas for people who paid for pricier VIP tickets prevent people swept up in the surge from escaping.

Scott’s conduct during the concert has left questions about whether he could have stopped it earlier.

Although fire officials had labeled the event a ‘mass-casualty incident’ by 9:30 p.m., the show wasn’t canceled until 40 minutes later. 

The rapper reportedly stopped the concert multiple times to allow attendees in distress to be helped by security, but it’s unclear if he knew the extent of the danger to attendees at the height of the surge.  

Edwin McPherson, Scott’s attorney, claims he ‘didn’t know that there was a mass casualty event that was called.’

Drake joined Scott on stage for part of his set, and the two rappers have since been hit with a $750 million lawsuit on behalf of at least 125 victims.  

Legal jeopardy: Drake is being sued with Scott and others for $750 million. The lawsuit accuses him of benefitting from Scott's 'legacy' of twice being convicted of encouraging fans to rush his stages; seen at Astroworld

Legal jeopardy: Drake is being sued with Scott and others for $750 million. The lawsuit accuses him of benefitting from Scott’s ‘legacy’ of twice being convicted of encouraging fans to rush his stages; seen at Astroworld

The lawsuit accuses Drake of benefitting from Scott’s ‘legacy’ of twice being convicted of encouraging fans to rush his stages.

‘When [Drake] accepted [Scott’s] invitation to perform at Astroworld 2021, [Drake] was well aware of the damage [Scott] had caused at his shows in the past,’ the lawsuit reads. ‘[Drake] was also well aware of the anticipated size and volatility of the crowd, and the likelihood of incitement.’

Kanye and Drake’s upcoming benefit show, which was confirmed by Kanye via Instagram on Saturday, is aimed at raising ‘awareness and support’ for Larry Hoover’s clemency. 

The now 70-year-old Gangster Disciples co-founder is serving six consecutive life sentences for allegedly ordering a gang-related hit on a 19-year-old drug dealer back in 1973, as well as other charges that were later brought upon him. 

The latter charges stemmed from a ‘drug ring’ that Hoover was said to have been running from prison while serving his original 150 to 200 year sentence for the 1973 murder. The ring brought in an estimated $100million per year, according to Page Six.

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the 'Free Larry Hoover' benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the 'Free Larry Hoover' benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 

After a 17-year investigation by law enforcement, Larry was found guilty of continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy, extortion, and money laundering among other charges in 1997. This added another life sentence to his tally. 

Larry, who turns 71 on the last day of November, is currently serving his sentences at a Colorado-based correctional facility.

‘God’s Plan,’ wrote West, who shared a poster for the forthcoming event with his Instagram following, which cites Drake as a ‘special guest.’

While Kanye’s announcement was the first official confirmation from one of the artists that the concert was happening, the news has been slowly leaking out over the past several weeks.  

Last month, music executive James Prince said that the two artists were trying ‘to free our brother Larry Hoover’ though he was not more specific than that at the time. 

Back in business: Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji

Back in business: Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji

Two even bigger events occurred earlier this week that made it clear the event was in the works. First, Larry Hoover’s son, Larry Hoover Jr., confirmed the two stars were working together.   

‘We’re going to get the word out to as many people as we can. We gotta let the powers that be know that we want Larry Hoover in our community,’  he said on the Murder Master Music Show. 

Not long after, Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji, signifying that their feud had come to an end. 

During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his. 

‘In an alternate universe, I am him,’ the Donda creator said. ‘And I have to go and get him free because he was doing positive inside of Chicago.’ 

Hoover set up several nonprofits that were supposed to help underprivileged kids in his community to become better people though some in law enforcement, and in Hoover’s own gang, claim that they were actually fronts to launder drug money.   

Very important to him: During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his

Very important to him: During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his

source: dailymail.co.uk