Shivangini Rawat on March 11, 2022
Travis Scott has announced the launch of Project HEAL, with the goal of donating $5 million to community-based initiatives. The Project did not appear to please the Astroworld victims, who recently chastised him for donating $5 million to charity. Travis has now defended his new Project in the face of criticism from the family of Astroworld Festival’s youngest victim.
On Tuesday, March 8, the Cactus Jack rapper announced a $5 million philanthropic and safety initiative that will provide scholarships to HBCU students, mental health resources to young people, and funding for a task force to address safety issues at large-scale events. The grandparents of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, on the other hand, slammed the initiative the next day, calling it a ruse to curry favour with potential jurors in the high-profile case.
“It’s a PR stunt,” Tericia Blount told Rolling Stone.
“He’s pretty much trying to sway the jurors before they’re even assembled. He’s trying to make himself look good, but it doesn’t look that way to someone with our eyes. What we’re seeing is that he’s done wrong, and now he’s trying to be the good guy and trying to give his own verdict on safety.”
Furthermore, the lawyer representing Ezra Blount’s father, Treston, filed an emergency motion on Wednesday, March 9 claiming Travis Scott’s Project HEAL announcement may have violated the gag order in the mountain of lawsuits filed in the aftermath of the festival tragedy. Judge Kristen Hawkins did not rule on the motion right away.
Later on Wednesday, Travis Scott’s spokesperson, Stephanie Rawlings Blake, called it “shameful and beyond cynical” that Hilliard “would accuse Mr. Scott of violating a court order when he has done nothing of the kind.”
“It is also disappointing that Mr. Hilliard would attack Project HEAL, a series of philanthropic gestures designed to give students and young people a leg up. Project HEAL is a continuation of Travis Scott’s longstanding work, including academic scholarships and creative design programs for underprivileged students.”
“Mr. Hilliard’s outburst holds no merit and is just a publicity stunt when the court expressly prohibited the very same actions that Mr. Hillaird has engaged in.”
In response to Robert Hilliard’s motion, Travis Scott’s lawyers filed new paperwork on Thursday, March 10, defending their client’s right to “make public statements about his ongoing philanthropic work, even as it relates to public safety.”
“It also runs afoul of the First Amendment, which guarantees parties like Mr. Scott the right to speak publicly about important philanthropic work that began long before the Astroworld Festival or… almost immediately afterward.”
Let’s see how Hillard reacts to the new paperwork filed by Travis Scott’s lawyers. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.
What’s your opinion on this one? Let us know in the comments!
March 11, 2022 10:40 am
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