Killer Mike, the renowned rapper, was detained at the 66th Grammy Awards held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. This unfortunate incident occurred shortly after Killer Mike won three out of the four rap categories in the pre-show telecast. According to an LAPD source, the detainment was a result of an alleged physical altercation involving a third party inside the arena. The source stated that they had to take action upon receiving a complaint. Killer Mike was questioned, and any potential arrest would depend on the outcome of the investigation and whether the third party wanted to press charges.
Video footage captured by The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner showed Killer Mike being taken away in handcuffs. An official stated that the arrest was related to an unspecified misdemeanor that did not occur during the Grammys on Sunday. Killer Mike’s representative did not respond immediately for comment.
The detainment happened just after Killer Mike had gone to the press area to answer questions about his win. He expressed his elation at being recognized after more than 20 years in the hip-hop industry. He encouraged others not to worry if it seemed like some people were reaching the finish line first, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and running one’s own race. He believed that imagination was the only thing that could hold someone back and that it was everyone’s responsibility to be grand in every action.
This Grammy award marked Killer Mike’s first win for his solo work. His initial Grammy win came over two decades ago for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group alongside Outkast for their song “The Whole World.” Prior to this year, he was last nominated in 2018 for Best Rap Song for “Chase Me,” a collaboration between Run the Jewels, Danger Mouse, and Big Boi. Following the detainment, Killer Mike did not address the incident on social media but expressed gratitude and excitement for his wins.
Interestingly, Killer Mike’s father served as a policeman in Atlanta. In a 2014 interview with The Fader, Killer Mike mentioned that his father wanted him and his siblings to be good citizens but did not want them to join the police force.
In 2020, during a press conference amid protests following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Killer Mike referenced his father again. He expressed his love and respect for police officers, standing alongside then-Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and rapper T.I. Killer Mike and T.I. made passionate pleas for Atlanta residents to refrain from looting and burning establishments. Killer Mike emphasized the importance of fortifying one’s own house and becoming a house of refuge in times of organization.
Throughout his career, Killer Mike has frequently addressed the failures of the police system in his music, interviews, and even in a 2014 op-ed about the Ferguson uprising. He has been vocal about his commitment to holding those in power accountable and ensuring that the American people no longer fear their government or its employees.
This incident is not the first time an artist has been arrested at an awards show. In 2006, Yaasin Bey was arrested by the NYPD after a guerilla-style street performance outside Radio City Music Hall during the MTV Video Music Awards. Bey performed a remix of UTP’s “Nolia Clap” called “Katrina Clap,” which addressed the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Despite claims that he had a permit to perform, Bey was still arrested when a crowd gathered around the flatbed truck he was performing on.
As this story continues to develop, additional reporting by Nancy Dillon and Tomás Mier will provide further insights into the incident.