Rapper Killer Mike was escorted out of the Grammy Awards in handcuffs Sunday by Los Angeles police after winning three awards during the pre-show ceremony. In a text to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the rapper blamed “overzealous security.”
“But I am good,” he told the newspaper.
Breaking: Rapper Killer Mike has been taken away in handcuffs in https://t.co/aF2yiyTHol arena after winning 3 #Grammys during telecast (Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” Best Rap Album for Michael) “Free Mike” someone shouts as he walks past. pic.twitter.com/4epfmzqMt8
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) February 5, 2024
The Atlanta rapper made his recording debut on Outkast’s fourth album Stankonia in 2000. He recently spoke to rolling out‘s Rashad Milligan about what a Grammy win would mean.
“Me bringing home a Grammy for Atlanta would be equivalent to the Braves bringing home another championship, the Hawks bringing home their first one, [and] the Falcons bringing home their first one,” he said. “I am a product of this city. And I mean a product of the city in every way.”
After winning the awards, he was reflective.
“The only thing that limits your age is not being truthful about your age or what you’re doing,” he said backstage. “At 20 years old, I thought it was cool to be a drug dealer. At 40, I started to live with the regrets and the things I’ve done. At 45, I started to rap about it. At 48, I stand here as a man full of empathy and sympathy for the things I’ve done.”
More often than not, though he is as much known for his activism, Killer Mike has been the voice of reason when it comes to altercations. Standing with then-Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mike made an impassioned plea for calm in May 2020, when the protests of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis spread to Georgia, with looting and mayhem in its capital city.
“I am duty-bound to be here to simply say that it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy,” Killer Mike said then.
