Travis Scott thanked the Billboard Music Awards Wednesday, days after he performed for the first time on television in the wake of last fall’s tragedy at the Astroworld festival when a crowd surge left 10 people dead.
‘Thank u BB awards for letting us move mountains,’ the Houston native, 31, captioned a shot of himself while performing at the event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
At the award show, the Grammy-nominated artist, whose real name is Jacques Webster, performed his song Mafia with the stage dressed up to reflect a wintry polar theme, along with backup dancers.
The latest: Travis Scott, 31, thanked the Billboard Music Awards Wednesday on Instagram, days after he performed for the first time on television in the wake of last fall’s tragedy at the Astroworld festival when a crowd surge left 10 people dead
He later performed the track Lost Forever in front of a black and white background prior to moving the camera to face the crowd at the venue.
The Escape Plan artist did not refer to the Astroworld festival in his set amid ongoing legal battles linked to the ill-fated November 5, 2021 incident at Houston’s NRG Park.
Diddy, who was host and executive producer of Sunday’s event, told Billboard last week that his mission was ‘un-canceling the canceled’ in having Scott perform as well as country singer Morgan Wallen, who was caught using a racial slur on camera last year.
‘As a musical family, none of us are saints; none of us are without things that happen to them in life,’ Diddy said. ‘That’s breaking news because people haven’t been about uncanceling. But canceling is a trend that needs to stop.
Scott performed on TV for the first time since the Astroworld festival at the event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
Scott took to the stage, which was dressed up to reflect a wintry polar theme
The Grammy-nominated artist, whose real name is Jacques Webster, performed his songs Mafia and Lost Forever at the event
He continued: ‘Travis went through a tragedy; Morgan [used the N-word] while talking to his boy. People make mistakes. Now we’re moving on with love and respect for everybody that was hurt or affected. It’s time to forgive. To have Morgan and Travis be able to come back and touch the stage again with the mindset of getting a second chance at life.’
The Franchise rapper’s appearance did not come without a measure of controversy, as a number of Twitter users took issue with Scott’s appearance on the award show six months after the deadly tragedy.
‘I’m all about Diddy’s message about peace and love and unifying… but I still refuse to watch Travis Scott,’ one user wrote.
Another said: ‘Sitting in stunned silence that @billboard invited Travis Scott of all people to perform on national television.’
One user said ‘the music industry is disgusting’ and ‘disrespectful’ in paving the way for Scott’s high-profile return to the stage.
Diddy, who was host and executive producer of Sunday’s event, said that his mission was ‘un-canceling the canceled’ in having Scott perform
A number of Twitter users were critical of the award show permitting Scott to perform
‘It has barely been 6 months since his disgrace of a concert #AstroWorld and he is performing left and right like nothing ever happened,’ the user said.
Scott had previously performed earlier this year at private events in Southern California and Miami in the wake of the deadly incident at the festival.
Last month, Spanish promoter Primavera Sound said that Scott would be taking the stage at three South American music festivals this fall, including Primavera Sound Sao Paolo on November 6, Primavera Sound Buenos Aires on November 12 and Primavera Sound Santiago de Chile on November 13.
A total of 10 people died as result of injuries suffered amid a crowd surge at the November 5 festival at Houston’s NRG Park, with victims ranging in age from nine to 27-years-old. Officials said that 25 people were hospitalized in the wake of the disaster, with around 300 people treated for injuries at the scene of the festival.
Authorities with the Houston Police Department and FBI continue to probe the incident.
Travis Scott was seen onstage on the tragic evening of November 5, 2021, when a crowd surge led to the deaths of 10 fans
Visitors were seen weeping at a memorial outside of NRG park November 7
Mourners left pictures, flowers, candles and other mementoes to honor the victims outside of NRG park on November 7