Killer Mike arrested in physical altercation, tells AJC he’s ‘three Grammys good’
Killer Mike was taken away in handcuffs shortly after winning three Grammy awards Sunday night. In a video posted by Hollywood Reporter staff writer Chris Gardner on X just after 7:20 p.m., the Atlanta rapper and activist was seen being taken away in handcuffs before the main awards ceremony aired.
Just after 11:30 p.m. EST, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Killer Mike was detained after being involved in a physical altercation Sunday night. The agency’s media relations division posted on X that the rapper and activist, born Michael Render, was booked for misdemeanor battery. He is in the process of being released.
No official information has been released about why the rapper was detained, but TMZ is reporting that, according to law enforcement officials, “Killer Mike was detained after allegedly getting into some kind of physical altercation with a security guard at the event.”
In a later post, TMZ released a video that appears to show the aftermath of the incident and reporting that “he’s now being booked for battery on a citizen’s arrest ... this after he allegedly got physical with a security guard at the venue, while out in the rain.”
When reached via text, Killer Mike told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Over zealous security, but I am good,” following the incident Sunday night.
When asked if he was still detained minutes later, he responded: “I’m good! Three Grammys good!”
During the Grammy awards pre-show, Killer Mike took home the award for best rap album, best rap performance and best rap song — winning all the awards he was nominated for.
About the Authors
DeAsia is a music and culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She focuses on the intersection of arts, culture and diverse communities, as well as how emerging social trends are being expressed through the lens of the Atlanta aesthetic. DeAsia's work can be seen in Pitchfork, Essence, Teen Vogue, Elle and more.
Gavin Godfrey is an editor and Team Lead for UATL, the AJC's Black culture franchise. He's an award-winning writer and editor from Atlanta who's covered everything from OutKast to the water boys. Before joining the AJC, Gavin worked for Capital B Atlanta, CNN, and Creative Loafing.
