Rapper Killer Mike was briefly detained by Los Angeles police on Sunday afternoon outside the Crypto.com Arena during the Grammy Awards pre-show ceremony. Officers arrested Mike, real name Michael Render, around 3:20pm PT for an alleged misdemeanor battery incident and released him on his own recognizance by 8:30pm.
Video footage showed Mike being escorted out of the venue in handcuffs after some confusion and an “overzealous” security guard, according to the rapper’s statement. Mike maintained his confidence he would “ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing.”
The Run The Jewels member credited confusion and an “overzealous” cop as the problem.
“As you can imagine, there was a lot going on, and there was some confusion around which door my team and I should enter. We experienced an overzealous security guard, but my team and I have the utmost confidence that I will ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing. Until that time, keep listening to ‘Michael,’ and keep going after your dreams.”
The arrest did not dampen Mike’s successful night, as he won three Grammys earlier that day including Best Rap Album for “Michael.” In his acceptance speech, the Atlanta native celebrated his dream coming true despite naysayers.
While details of the altercation remain unclear, sources downplayed the incident as a “big nothing” unrelated to events inside the arena. Mike and his team have not commented further, but the rapper’s counsel expressed optimism about resolving the misunderstanding.
After a brief interruption, Mike returned to celebrating his Grammy wins and motivating others to pursue their passions. The acclaimed musician and activist continues promoting his acclaimed latest studio album.
“Atlanta, it’s a sweep,” Mike exclaimed in his speech after winning Best Rap Album. “You cannot tell me that you get too old. You can’t tell me it’s too late. You can’t tell me dreams [don’t] come true. It is a sweep!”