After winning three Grammy Awards on Sunday, rapper Killer Mike was handcuffed and led away by police inside Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena over an alleged physical altercation.
Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, was arrested for misdemeanour battery, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Though the details surrounding the 48-year-old rapper’s arrest are still unclear, journalist Chris Gardner of The Hollywood Reporter captured video of Render in handcuffs.
As Render was escorted away by police, several people called out to the musician. One man shouted, “Mike, are you serious? What the f—k?”
Gardner reported another person yelled “Free Mike” as he walked past.
According to Variety, Render was released from custody shortly after he was detained.
“He’s out and will be celebrating his sweep tonight,” said the rapper’s lawyer in a brief statement on Sunday night.
An arena security official told The Hollywood Reporter Render was detained over an incident that had nothing to do with the Grammys.
Render and the Recording Academy have not commented publicly on the incident.
Before the live Grammy Awards telecast, Render won three trophies in the rap genre: best rap performance, best rap song and best rap album. His song, Scientists & Engineers ft. André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane, triumphed over other genre giants in the category, namely Doja Cat, Drake & 21 Savage, Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice and Lil Uzi Vert.
After accepting his third and final award of the night, Render had strong words about being an older musician within the rap genre.
“For all the people out there that think you get too old to rap, bulls—t. 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,” he said.
The comment appeared to be in reference to André 3000, who amid the release of his solo flute album New Blue Sun last year, implied he is too old for the rap genre.
“Sometimes it feels inauthentic for me to rap because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way. I’m 48 years old,” André 3000 openly fretted to GQ. “And not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way it does.”
André 3000 is best known for being one-half of the iconic hip-hop duo OutKast.
Render has not won a Grammy since 2003, when he won best rap performance by a duo or group for his feature on OutKast’s The Whole World.
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