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After a fan took a tumble during Drake‘s recent performance at The Apollo, the rapper briefly stopped the show to ensure that everything was a-okay.
According to Insider, the incident went down about an hour-and-a-half into the performance. Specifically, it occurred shortly after 21 Savage joined Drake onstage.
Before the “Rich Flex” rappers could begin doing their thang, however, an audience member plummeted down into the crowd from one of the venue’s second-floor balconies.
In turn, the music cut off, and Drake announced, “Alright, just gotta make sure somebody’s okay.”
Thankfully, another video clip showed the fan in question walking while being assisted by staff, suggesting that his injuries don’t appear to be too serious.
Drake deciding to stop the show in the name of audience safety is the latest example of how Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, where 10 people lost their lives in a “crowd surge,” shaped artists’ approaches to the subject.
On a few separate occasions throughout 2022, Billie Eilish paused shows in order to ensure that her fans were safe.
Additionally, Travis was sure to pause a Coney Island performance back on the Fourth of July in the name of keeping fans out of danger.
Just a month later, Kehlani cut a show short after “many” fans wound up passing out.
“I can’t have this. This is not okay. I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t feel okay, I don’t feel like anybody’s safe right now.”
So, it looks like the Astroworld tragedy has had a lasting impact on how artists prioritize the wellbeing of their fans.
At this point, we should add that Drake’s long-awaited performance at The Apollo was initially slated to go down back in November. However, according to TMZ, the show was rescheduled to early December due to Takeoff’s death, and it was further delayed on account of production issues.
The outlet also notes that, while fans had to reschedule a couple of different times, the show was definitely poppin’.
What do you think about the situation, and how do you feel about artists pausing shows to ensure audience members’ safety?
