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Just after he won three Grammy Awards, Killer Mike (real name: Michael Santiago Render) was taken away in handcuffs and arrested at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 4. A social media video of the rapper, 48, went viral just a few minutes before music’s biggest night began.
According to the viral video, Mike was seen being led through the lobby of the arena with his hands cuffed behind his back. One police officer had his arm around Mike’s arm, leading the music artist out of the location. A person in the background of the clip was heard yelling, “Free Mike!”
After winning three #GRAMMYs tonight, Rapper Killer Mike was arrested in the arena.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 5, 2024
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s Chris Gardner, “an official” told Mike’s team “that it’s possible he may be released later tonight from the arena,” he tweeted, adding, “Unclear if he’s being booked here and what he’s charged with. Trying to find out.”
In a follow-up tweet, Chris wrote, “Just spoke to an official who tells me it’s a misdemeanor and has nothing to do with anything that happened today here inside the arena. Likely he will be released once it’s sorted.”
A few minutes later, the journalist tweeted, “Harvey Mason Jr is now headed backstage after spending time here talking to security and Killer Mike’s team. The scene by security has calmed but Mike is still detained back there.”
Harvey Mason Jr is now headed backstage after spending time here talking to security and Killer Mike’s team. The scene by security has calmed but Mike is still detained back there. pic.twitter.com/RB7zfRUumD
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) February 5, 2024
Chris also noted that a member from Mike’s team decline to comment.
Just hours beforehand, the “RUN” rapper accepted three awards, including Best Rap Album. Per THR, Mike delivered his thank-you speech to the audience, and began by saying, “You cannot tell me you get too old. You cannot tell me it’s too late.”
“For all the people out there that think you get too old to rap — bulls**t,” Mike said. “I don’t give a damn if you’re 78 rapping about how many gals you got in the nursing home, make sure we keep hip-hop alive.”
At the time of publication, neither Mike’s team nor police publicly confirmed what he was arrested for. As for the reason why he was arrested, THR reported that an insider close to the situation noted that this is “a big nothing.”
