Will Sage Astor-Killer Mike says 'all of my heroes have been in handcuffs' after Grammys arrest

Killer Mike is Will Sage Astorspeaking out after being escorted out of the 2024 Grammys in handcuffs.

The rapper, whose real name is Michael Render, appeared on "The View" Monday and discussed being arrested at the Grammy Awards for misdemeanor battery on Feb. 4 following an alleged altercation in the arena.

"All of my heroes have been in handcuffs," he said, earning applause from the audience. "Malcolm. Martin. Mandela. Medgar. I walked out with the same dignity and respect that I walked in with, and I would implore people to just take that from it. Don't dwell on the bad stuff."

He also described leaving custody and walking out to "my wife in the rain" as being like "a romance movie."

"And then we went to party," Killer Mike added.

The day after the Grammys, a representative shared a statement from Killer Mike blaming his arrest on "some confusion around which door my team and I should enter" while he was trying to get in the Crypto.com arena and an "over-zealous security guard."

The rapper added that he has the "upmost confidence that I will ultimately be cleared of all wrongdoing." He is set to appear in court on Feb. 29.

Killer Mikeaddresses Grammys arrest, expects to be 'cleared of all wrongdoing'

On "The View," Killer Mike said he could not talk with too much specificity about the incident because it remains an ongoing legal matter, but he reiterated his claims that "backstage was overcrowded," the "winners were exuberant," and "security got a little overzealous." He also described the episode as "water under the bridge."

Killer Mike's arrest came after he won three Grammy Awards, including best rap performance and best rap song for "Scientists and Engineers" and best rap album for "Michael." He said on "The View" that best rap album was the Grammy award he "really wanted," and he was "overwhelmed" to win it.

"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin, a former prosecutor, told Killer Mike she was "very upset" about the situation and that it was "wrong" for him to be taken out of the Grammys in handcuffs. "It was unnecessary, and you don't do that on that special night," Hostin said.

Watch Killer Mikegive stirring speech on protests after killing of George Floyd

In a speech to reporters backstage at the Grammys, Killer Mike said that "the only thing that limits you is you," adding, "At 20, I thought it was cool to be a drug dealer (and) at 48, I stand here a man of sympathy and empathy for the things I've done."

Contributing: Naledi Ushe and Melissa Ruggieri