Killer Mike appears free and clear of persecution after his highly-publicized arrest after sweeping the Rap category at this year’s Grammy Awards.
In February, Mike, real name Santiago Render, was detained by authorities during the award ceremony after a scuffle with a security guard outside Crypto.com Arena. The Atlanta native was released from custody the same night and attended an arrangement on February 29. He released a statement after the arrest.
According to TMZ, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office decided not to file charges against the award-winning recording artist for the incident. Ivor Pine, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, issued an official statement on Wednesday to the media outlet. It reads:
“Mr. Render has successfully completed the Office’s Hearing process, including a community service requirement that was imposed. We have no further comment at this time.”
The cell phone video footage of Killer Mike’s arrest by The Hollywood Reporter’s Senior Staff Writer Chris Gardner went viral while the Grammys continued on February 4. Before the arrest, the 48-year-old with a name that came to alter the game won his first-ever Grammy awards for his sixth album, Michael.
Released in June 2023, the album featuring Young Thug, 2 Chainz, T.I., and more would win three Grammys, including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance. Michael, the first of an upcoming trilogy, was Killer Mike’s first album in 11 years.
Mike spoke on the Grammy arrest for the first time on February 13 as a guest on the daytime talk show, The View. Recalling the incident, Mike told the hosts, “I think backstage was overcrowded, I think the winners were exuberant, and I think security got a little over-zealous,” the Atlanta native said. “It’s water under the bridge for me.”
He continued: “I’d like to say, all of my heroes have been in handcuffs. Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, Medgar. I walked out with the same dignity and respect I walked in with. I would implore people to take that from it. Don’t dwell on the bad stuff,” he continued. “And the next morning, I spent three hours by myself and the police said we had never got this many phone calls, people are gonna protest, we’re gonna have to move you. They were all panicked and I was just sitting there and I began to invoke thanks.”
Mike shared that he took a moment to reflect while detained and remember his late mother and grandmother. “I thank God for bringing me where I was,” said Mike. “I thank God for putting me in a space by myself and I got an opportunity to invoke the spirit of my mom and my grandmother.”