Killer Mike was detained at the Grammy trophies on Sunday, after winning three trophies, including his first in almost two decades.
Mike was led in handcuffs by Los Angeles police at Crypto.com Arena, according to a video uploaded by the trade website The Hollywood Reporter, following some wonderful moments for him at the Grammys’ Premiere Ceremony on Sunday, when he won three prizes in rapid succession.
Killer Mike on Grammys arrest
Officer Mike Lopez, a police spokeswoman, said Mike was detained after an argument inside the arena at 4 p.m. He was booked for a misdemeanor.
The rapper, actual name Michael Render, was released on his own recognizance at 8:37 p.m. and is set to appear in court in Los Angeles on February 29.
Mike’s representative did not immediately reply to emails or text messages seeking comment.
“The only thing that limits your age is not being truthful about your age or what you’re doing,” Mike, 48, remarked backstage. He won for best rap performance, song, and album.
“At 20 years old, I thought it was cool to be a drug dealer,” he told me. “At forty, I began to live with my regrets and the things I had done. At 45, I began to rap about it. “At 48, I stand here as a guy full of empathy and sympathy for what I’ve done.
Mike’s first award came for best rap performance with “Scientists & Engineers,” which also won best rap tune. The song includes Andre 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane.
He won Best Rap Album for “Michael.”
Mike’s latest Grammy was in 2003, when “The Whole World” won for best rap performance by a duo or group.
When he received his third award, the Atlanta-based rapper exclaimed, “Sweep! Atlanta, it is a sweep!”
Mike released four critically acclaimed albums as a part of Run the Jewels, working with producer El-P. Outside of music, he built a name for himself as a social-political activist, speaking out against inequality for Black people, and racial relations, and became an outspoken backer of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.
The Grammy winner presented Netflix’s “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike,” a 2019 documentary series highlighting Black community issues. In addition, he made an impassioned plea to quiet a violent demonstration against police brutality in Atlanta.