Killer Mike isn't going to let his previous arrest dampen his spirits at the 2026 Grammys. Two years after the Grammy-winning rapper (real name Michael Santiago Render) was escorted out of the award show in handcuffs, he returned to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on February 1st to celebrate music's biggest night. Clad in a green velour tracksuit with a large gold chain, Killer Mike—who was booked for misdemeanor battery following a physical altercation with a security guard, but was never formally charged—was joined by his wife of 20 years, Shana Render, on the red carpet. (Click here to see all the celebrity arrivals.)
And the 50-year-old considers his past run-in with the law all "water under the bridge." "Backstage was overcrowded. The winners were exuberant," he said on The View in February 2024 following the incident, "and I think security got a little overzealous." Besides, Killer Mike noted that "all of my heroes have been in handcuffs."
"I walked out with the same dignity and respect that I walked in with," continued the Run the Jewels emcee, who won awards for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song that night. "And I would implore people to just take that from it."
The entire experience was also detailed in his 2024 single "Humble Me." "I won at the Grammys / did that for Atlanta," Killer Mike rapped. "Swept up like a janitor / got sent to the slammer / treat me like an animal or some kind of Hannibal." He added, "I believe that humility and worship granted me God's grace in the face of that test."
At this year's ceremony, his "Headphones" collaboration with Lecrae and T.I. was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. However, he lost the golden gramophone to Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake's "Hard Fought Hallelujah."
