For Killer Mike, his arrest at the 2024 Grammy Awards has become more than just lyrical inspiration. The incident became lawsuit material this week.
The Grammy-winning rapper, half of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, sued a private security firm and its employees for alleged false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, negligence and other counts stemming from the 2024 incident at Crypto.com Arena. Legal representatives for Killer Mike (real name Michael Render) filed an amended complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
During the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024, Render picked up three Grammys during the ceremony’s preshow, including one for his 2023 release “Michael.” Later that afternoon, a police officer handcuffed and arrested the Atlanta-based musician and activist. Footage of Render’s arrest, shared by the Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner, showed the rapper walking with his hands cuffed behind his back as multiple officers escorted him through the venue.
Render, 49, was booked on misdemeanor battery and released hours after he was detained. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office confirmed to The Times in July that it had decided not to press charges against the rapper.
Exactly a year after the incident, Render alleged in his lawsuit that S&S Labor Force (doing business as JRM Private Security) and numerous unnamed defendants working with the security firm “used their positions of authority to degrade, embarrass, and physically hurt [him] in full public view, subjecting him to emotional distress and public humiliation.”
A spokesperson for S&S Labor Force told The Times on Thursday that Render’s allegations “are not only unfounded but also misrepresent the facts surrounding the incident in question.” The representative underlined the company’s “commitment to ethical practices and the safety of our employees, clients and guests” and said it was investigating the source of Render’s allegations.
The spokesperson also confirmed to The Times that S&S Labor Force did have guards working the 2024 Grammys. The person did not share additional details about the guards’ roles in Grammy security and asserted that “S&S had zero involvement” in last year’s incident.
Representatives for Render and the Grammys did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment.
Render alleges in his complaint that despite having the required credentials, “he was impeded, accosted and was made to stop his progress” when he and his team tried to move from the ceremony’s media center to the red carpet. Render clarified his identity and explained his need to access the red carpet to security multiple times but guards refused to let him through, according to the lawsuit.
Render alleged that security “physically assaulted and battered him” when he tried to leave the secured area. The “Legend Has It” and “Ego Maniacs” rapper says in the lawsuit that he was then surrounded by multiple security guards and wrongfully detained.
He goes on to allege in the suit that the private security company “made a purported citizen’s arrest under false pretenses” and says he was he later detained by Los Angeles Police Department officers and escorted out of Crypto.com Arena.
At the time of Render’s arrest, a source close to the investigation told The Times that an altercation broke out after a security guard allegedly tried to prevent the performer and his entourage from passing through a particular area in the venue. Render allegedly knocked a security guard to the ground. The guard injured her hand in the fall and requested a citizen’s arrest. Police were then called to the scene.
A day after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Commission contemplated whether the race of the rapper, who is Black, played a role in his arrest.
Despite dodging criminal charges for the incident, Render alleges in his lawsuit that the security team’s “unlawful arrest, assault, battery, restraint, and seizure” caused him “unnecessary public embarrassment, distress, and professional harm.” Render also accuses the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.
Render, who channeled the arrest into his 2024 single “Humble Me,” is seeking legal fees and an unspecified amount in damages, to be determined at trial.
For Killer Mike, his arrest at the 2024 Grammy Awards has become more than just lyrical inspiration. The incident became lawsuit material this week.
The Grammy-winning rapper, half of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, sued a private security firm and its employees for alleged false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, negligence and other counts stemming from the 2024 incident at Crypto.com Arena. Legal representatives for Killer Mike (real name Michael Render) filed an amended complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
During the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024, Render picked up three Grammys during the ceremony’s preshow, including one for his 2023 release “Michael.” Later that afternoon, a police officer handcuffed and arrested the Atlanta-based musician and activist. Footage of Render’s arrest, shared by the Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner, showed the rapper walking with his hands cuffed behind his back as multiple officers escorted him through the venue.
Render, 49, was booked on misdemeanor battery and released hours after he was detained. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office confirmed to The Times in July that it had decided not to press charges against the rapper.
Exactly a year after the incident, Render alleged in his lawsuit that S&S Labor Force (doing business as JRM Private Security) and numerous unnamed defendants working with the security firm “used their positions of authority to degrade, embarrass, and physically hurt [him] in full public view, subjecting him to emotional distress and public humiliation.”
A spokesperson for S&S Labor Force told The Times on Thursday that Render’s allegations “are not only unfounded but also misrepresent the facts surrounding the incident in question.” The representative underlined the company’s “commitment to ethical practices and the safety of our employees, clients and guests” and said it was investigating the source of Render’s allegations.
The spokesperson also confirmed to The Times that S&S Labor Force did have guards working the 2024 Grammys. The person did not share additional details about the guards’ roles in Grammy security and asserted that “S&S had zero involvement” in last year’s incident.
Representatives for Render and the Grammys did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment.
Render alleges in his complaint that despite having the required credentials, “he was impeded, accosted and was made to stop his progress” when he and his team tried to move from the ceremony’s media center to the red carpet. Render clarified his identity and explained his need to access the red carpet to security multiple times but guards refused to let him through, according to the lawsuit.
Render alleged that security “physically assaulted and battered him” when he tried to leave the secured area. The “Legend Has It” and “Ego Maniacs” rapper says in the lawsuit that he was then surrounded by multiple security guards and wrongfully detained.
He goes on to allege in the suit that the private security company “made a purported citizen’s arrest under false pretenses” and says he was he later detained by Los Angeles Police Department officers and escorted out of Crypto.com Arena.
At the time of Render’s arrest, a source close to the investigation told The Times that an altercation broke out after a security guard allegedly tried to prevent the performer and his entourage from passing through a particular area in the venue. Render allegedly knocked a security guard to the ground. The guard injured her hand in the fall and requested a citizen’s arrest. Police were then called to the scene.
A day after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Commission contemplated whether the race of the rapper, who is Black, played a role in his arrest.
Despite dodging criminal charges for the incident, Render alleges in his lawsuit that the security team’s “unlawful arrest, assault, battery, restraint, and seizure” caused him “unnecessary public embarrassment, distress, and professional harm.” Render also accuses the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.
Render, who channeled the arrest into his 2024 single “Humble Me,” is seeking legal fees and an unspecified amount in damages, to be determined at trial.
For Killer Mike, his arrest at the 2024 Grammy Awards has become more than just lyrical inspiration. The incident became lawsuit material this week.
The Grammy-winning rapper, half of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, sued a private security firm and its employees for alleged false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, negligence and other counts stemming from the 2024 incident at Crypto.com Arena. Legal representatives for Killer Mike (real name Michael Render) filed an amended complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
During the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024, Render picked up three Grammys during the ceremony’s preshow, including one for his 2023 release “Michael.” Later that afternoon, a police officer handcuffed and arrested the Atlanta-based musician and activist. Footage of Render’s arrest, shared by the Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner, showed the rapper walking with his hands cuffed behind his back as multiple officers escorted him through the venue.
Render, 49, was booked on misdemeanor battery and released hours after he was detained. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office confirmed to The Times in July that it had decided not to press charges against the rapper.
Exactly a year after the incident, Render alleged in his lawsuit that S&S Labor Force (doing business as JRM Private Security) and numerous unnamed defendants working with the security firm “used their positions of authority to degrade, embarrass, and physically hurt [him] in full public view, subjecting him to emotional distress and public humiliation.”
A spokesperson for S&S Labor Force told The Times on Thursday that Render’s allegations “are not only unfounded but also misrepresent the facts surrounding the incident in question.” The representative underlined the company’s “commitment to ethical practices and the safety of our employees, clients and guests” and said it was investigating the source of Render’s allegations.
The spokesperson also confirmed to The Times that S&S Labor Force did have guards working the 2024 Grammys. The person did not share additional details about the guards’ roles in Grammy security and asserted that “S&S had zero involvement” in last year’s incident.
Representatives for Render and the Grammys did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment.
Render alleges in his complaint that despite having the required credentials, “he was impeded, accosted and was made to stop his progress” when he and his team tried to move from the ceremony’s media center to the red carpet. Render clarified his identity and explained his need to access the red carpet to security multiple times but guards refused to let him through, according to the lawsuit.
Render alleged that security “physically assaulted and battered him” when he tried to leave the secured area. The “Legend Has It” and “Ego Maniacs” rapper says in the lawsuit that he was then surrounded by multiple security guards and wrongfully detained.
He goes on to allege in the suit that the private security company “made a purported citizen’s arrest under false pretenses” and says he was he later detained by Los Angeles Police Department officers and escorted out of Crypto.com Arena.
At the time of Render’s arrest, a source close to the investigation told The Times that an altercation broke out after a security guard allegedly tried to prevent the performer and his entourage from passing through a particular area in the venue. Render allegedly knocked a security guard to the ground. The guard injured her hand in the fall and requested a citizen’s arrest. Police were then called to the scene.
A day after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Commission contemplated whether the race of the rapper, who is Black, played a role in his arrest.
Despite dodging criminal charges for the incident, Render alleges in his lawsuit that the security team’s “unlawful arrest, assault, battery, restraint, and seizure” caused him “unnecessary public embarrassment, distress, and professional harm.” Render also accuses the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.
Render, who channeled the arrest into his 2024 single “Humble Me,” is seeking legal fees and an unspecified amount in damages, to be determined at trial.
For Killer Mike, his arrest at the 2024 Grammy Awards has become more than just lyrical inspiration. The incident became lawsuit material this week.
The Grammy-winning rapper, half of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, sued a private security firm and its employees for alleged false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, negligence and other counts stemming from the 2024 incident at Crypto.com Arena. Legal representatives for Killer Mike (real name Michael Render) filed an amended complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
During the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024, Render picked up three Grammys during the ceremony’s preshow, including one for his 2023 release “Michael.” Later that afternoon, a police officer handcuffed and arrested the Atlanta-based musician and activist. Footage of Render’s arrest, shared by the Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner, showed the rapper walking with his hands cuffed behind his back as multiple officers escorted him through the venue.
Render, 49, was booked on misdemeanor battery and released hours after he was detained. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office confirmed to The Times in July that it had decided not to press charges against the rapper.
Exactly a year after the incident, Render alleged in his lawsuit that S&S Labor Force (doing business as JRM Private Security) and numerous unnamed defendants working with the security firm “used their positions of authority to degrade, embarrass, and physically hurt [him] in full public view, subjecting him to emotional distress and public humiliation.”
A spokesperson for S&S Labor Force told The Times on Thursday that Render’s allegations “are not only unfounded but also misrepresent the facts surrounding the incident in question.” The representative underlined the company’s “commitment to ethical practices and the safety of our employees, clients and guests” and said it was investigating the source of Render’s allegations.
The spokesperson also confirmed to The Times that S&S Labor Force did have guards working the 2024 Grammys. The person did not share additional details about the guards’ roles in Grammy security and asserted that “S&S had zero involvement” in last year’s incident.
Representatives for Render and the Grammys did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment.
Render alleges in his complaint that despite having the required credentials, “he was impeded, accosted and was made to stop his progress” when he and his team tried to move from the ceremony’s media center to the red carpet. Render clarified his identity and explained his need to access the red carpet to security multiple times but guards refused to let him through, according to the lawsuit.
Render alleged that security “physically assaulted and battered him” when he tried to leave the secured area. The “Legend Has It” and “Ego Maniacs” rapper says in the lawsuit that he was then surrounded by multiple security guards and wrongfully detained.
He goes on to allege in the suit that the private security company “made a purported citizen’s arrest under false pretenses” and says he was he later detained by Los Angeles Police Department officers and escorted out of Crypto.com Arena.
At the time of Render’s arrest, a source close to the investigation told The Times that an altercation broke out after a security guard allegedly tried to prevent the performer and his entourage from passing through a particular area in the venue. Render allegedly knocked a security guard to the ground. The guard injured her hand in the fall and requested a citizen’s arrest. Police were then called to the scene.
A day after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Commission contemplated whether the race of the rapper, who is Black, played a role in his arrest.
Despite dodging criminal charges for the incident, Render alleges in his lawsuit that the security team’s “unlawful arrest, assault, battery, restraint, and seizure” caused him “unnecessary public embarrassment, distress, and professional harm.” Render also accuses the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.
Render, who channeled the arrest into his 2024 single “Humble Me,” is seeking legal fees and an unspecified amount in damages, to be determined at trial.
