Houston, Texas – Apple and rapper Drake have filed motions seeking to be excluded from the lawsuit filed by victims of the 2021 Astroworld tragedy. The motions were filed in Harris County’s 11th Civil District Court and come as attorneys work to determine who is responsible for the deadly concert that killed 10 people and injured others. As the first trial approaches in May, the plaintiffs and defendants, including Travis Scott, Live Nation, and ASM Global, are preparing for a courtroom battle with their expert witnesses.
All parties involved in the case are under a gag order imposed by Judge Kristen Brauchle Hawkins.
Drake’s attorneys emphasized that the plaintiffs’ complaint did not attribute any direct actions or obligations to Drake that contributed to the disaster. They noted that Drake performed for a short duration and only took the stage after many injuries had already occurred, stating that he was not involved in the festival’s planning and was simply an invitee like other attendees.
Apple Inc. similarly denied involvement in the concert’s planning, stating that its role was limited to Travis Scott’s performance, which was just one of many during the two-day event. Apple criticized the plaintiffs’ lack of evidence to support their claim that the concert constituted a joint venture between the tech company and Scott. Lawyers also addressed a claim by ASM that one of Apple’s livestream cameras may have obstructed the audience area.
According to an article published by Houston Landing, sources say Astroworld event planners were aware of overcrowding at the festival and failed to plan for it properly. The event’s safety director reportedly questioned crowding 10 days before the music festival.
Following the tragedy, Texas Governor Greg Abbott formed a task force to study concert safety and recommend crowd control and security measures during mass gatherings. The task force reported that people without tickets entered the festival area hours before the performances began, overwhelming staff and leading to injuries. It also highlighted the inconsistent process for issuing permits for mass gatherings statewide.
The task force recommended the creation of a command center authorized to pause or cancel a show in response to safety concerns.