Astroworld Victim's Family Slams Kanye West Over Billie Eilish Apology Demand
The family of the youngest victim of the Astroworld tragedy is slamming Kanye West after he demanded an apology from Billie Eilish.
The grandparents of Ezra Blount, who lost his life during the Houston festival, spoke out after Ye threatened to pull out of Coachella unless Eilish apologized to Scott.
“To hear Kanye’s words, that’s hurtful to us. What an idiotic thing to say,” Bernon Blount, whose 9-year-old grandson died following the crowd surge at Astroworld, told Rolling Stone.
Tericia Blount, Ezra’s grandmother, said West should be praising Eilish instead of issuing an ultimatum after she stopped a recent concert to help a fan who was having trouble breathing.
“I think it’s just crazy, and I hate to use that word, but I think it’s ridiculous,” said Tericia Blount. “She’s making sure that she is caring for the patrons at her concert, and I just think that’s crazy of Kanye to even let that demand come out of his mouth.”
She applauded Eilish for showing concern for her fans. “I totally commend Billie Eilish for having that decency about her. I think what she did was wonderful, and I would love to tell her myself how brilliant and awesome she is for doing so.”
On Thursday, Ye shared a screenshot of a headline that claimed the “Happier Than Ever” singer “dissed” Travis during her concert.
“COME ON BILLIE WE LOVE YOU PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO TRAV AND TO THE FAMILIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES,” he wrote while defending Travis after the tragedy at Astroworld, which resulted in 10 deaths. “NO ONE INTENDED THIS TO HAPPEN TRAV DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN HE WAS ON STAGE AND WAS VERY HURT BY WHAT HAPPENED.”
He went on to demand an apology from Eilish before he takes the Coachella stage. “YES TRAV WILL BE WITH ME AT COACHELLA BUT NOW I NEED BILLIE TO APOLOGIZE BEFORE I PERFORM.”
Eilish responded in the comments, writing, “Literally never said a thing about travis. was just helping a fan.”
During her concert in Atlanta on Feb. 5, Eilish stopped the show to offer an inhaler to a fan who was struggling to breathe. “We’re taking care of our people. I’m waiting for people to be OK until I keep going,” she said.
“That’s crazy that he wants someone to apologize for putting the welfare of someone else before their profits,” said Bernon Blount, whose family is suing Travis and Astroworld festival organizers. “That’s someone who needed their asthma pump. They could have lost their life, right then. This world is twisted, and we have to stop doing this.”