The 'SICKO MODE' hitmaker still faces heavy criticism after he announces his donations via his new project HEAL and explains how Astroworld Festival victims will be in his 'heart forever.'
- Mar 9, 2022
AceShowbiz - Travis Scott (II) is "still canceled" despite his attempt to make amends following his deadly Astroworld Festival. The "SICKO MODE" hitmaker is still facing heavy backlash after he launched his new project "HEAL" and donated $5 million for community-based initiatives in Texas.
Making use of his Instagram account on Tuesday, March 8, the 30-year-old hip-hop star shared a lengthy message about his new project through his Cactus Jack Foundation. "My team and I created Project HEAL to take much needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be," he wrote.
Travis also noted in his statement that he "will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in [his] heart forever." The "Goosebumps" rapper added, "Over the past few months I've been taking the time and space to grieve, reflect and do my part to heal my community," pointing out that "while it's easy for corporations and institutions to stay in the shadows, I feel as a leader in my community, I need to step up in times of need."
"Most importantly, I want to use my resources and platform moving forward towards actionable change," Travis continued. Kylie Jenner's baby daddy went on saying that "this will be a lifelong journey for me and my family."
"Giving back and creating opportunities for the youth is something I've always done and will continue to do as long as I have the chance," Travis explained. He went on to stress that the program "will be a catalyst to real change." He concluded his message, "I can't wait to introduce the rest of the technology and ideas we've been working on. See you all so soon," adding a slew of brown heart emojis.
With the project, per TMZ, Travis will advocate for students, creatives, music fans and concertgoers. $1 million of his initial donation will go to HBCU scholarships. The musician and his team hope to support at least 100 students, with a 3.5 GPA or higher, with the new funds.
Travis' other $4 million for Project HEAL will be divided between several ventures including launching a free mental health program for children, led by Houston-based behavioral health expert, Dr. Janice Beal. He'll also be broadening his creative design program through his Cactus Jack Foundation with a seven-figure expansion of the CACT.US Youth Design Center at TXRX Labs in Houston.
Travis is also donating money to the U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Event Safety to help ensure fans remain protected at concerts. It's part of a collaborative effort to ensure maximum safety at large-scale events and will culminate in a "comprehensive report of recommendations."
Upon learning of his thoughtful gesture, many social media users turned to Twitter to share their thoughts with many insisting that he's "still canceled." One person tweeted, "Nice try but still canceled," with another adding, "Sorry, he's canceled."
"Dudes concert killed hella folks, who cares," another Twitter user penned, while another agreed, writing, "It won't change the fact that he killed 8 people." In the meantime, many believed that the donation "is just a PR stunt." One person wrote, "PR stunt to sanitize his image. Not buying it."
