US rapper and activist Killer Mike, also known as Michael Santiago Render, was detained and escorted by police from the Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday. The incident occurred after Killer Mike had earlier secured three prestigious awards for hip hop.
A video posted on social media by The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner captured Los Angeles police leading the rapper in handcuffs. The arrest took place around 4 pm inside the Crypto.com Arena, the venue for the awards show, following an altercation. He was booked on a misdemeanor.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department informed the Associated Press about the arrest, emphasizing that it stemmed from an incident inside the arena.
At the 66th edition of the annual Grammy Awards, Killer Mike and his collaborators received accolades in three categories. They won the Grammy for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers” and Best Rap Album for “Michael.”
These awards mark Killer Mike’s first Grammy wins since 2003 when he was honored for the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his contribution to the hip hop duo OutKast’s “The Whole World.”
Killer Mike, whose recording career began with OutKast’s 2000 album “Stankonia,” is renowned for his outspoken views on social justice issues, particularly race relations and the treatment of Black people in the United States.
In 2019, Killer Mike hosted Netflix’s “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike,” a documentary series that delves into issues affecting the Black community. The incident at the Grammy Awards adds a surprising turn to the artist’s notable career and activism.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
