Travis Scott Returns to the Public Eye With Project HEAL
Travis Scott has announced a philanthropic endeavor, Project HEAL, that will help address safety challenges at large-scale events.
One of the rapper's rare public moves since a deadly crowd surge killed ten audience members at his Astroworld set, Project HEAL appears to be an effort to mitigate fallout from the tragedy — as well as to rehabilitate Scott's image.
"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," the artist wrote on Instagram.
"I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever."
Per a press release, Scott will help fund the U.S. Conference of Mayors task force for event safety. He is also financing a "tech-driven solution for event safety," a device that is currently in development.
When asked to clarify the amount of money going to both causes, representatives for Project HEAL said they are "not prepared to indicate the funding amount," but they "hope it is considerable."
Tackling event safety — plans for which will take time to finalize — is just one pillar of Project HEAL. In the meantime, the initiative will address inequities in access to higher education, art programs, and mental health resources.
Scott pledged $1 million in scholarships to students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are facing financial hardships that put them at risk of not graduating.
He will also fund Dr. Janice Beal of Well Being in Color, a mental health education program for students in color, to provide free counseling and social services to underserved communities.
Thirdly, Scott will support a "seven-figure expansion" of the CACT.US Youth Designer Center, a design lab and studio located at TXRX Labs in Houston. The expansion will be accompanied by a design education program developed in partnership with an HBCU.
Scott's efforts (which are commendable, to be clear) mark the artist's slow venture back into the public eye. The move comes months after he denied liability in numerous Astroworld-related lawsuits, and sat down for a controversial interview with Charlamagne tha God shortly after.
Sure, there was Scott's New Year's Instagram post and his appearance at Kanye West's DONDA 2 listening party, not to mention the birth of his second child. But between the indefinite postponement of his Dior collaboration, the shelving of CACTI hard seltzer, and his exit from Coachella, Scott hasn't been closing many deals as of late.
But like any celebrity embroiled in controversy, Scott has managed to retain a dedicated fanbase. Those affected by Astroworld may not jump to embrace the rapper's new initiative, but ultimately, it's up to the wider public whether or not Scott can make a comeback.
