Just hours after triumphantly returning to the scene of his Grammys night arrest to accept the BET Album of the Year award for MICHAEL, Killer Mike dropped a powerful new single and video, “HUMBLE ME,” in which he reflects on the incident and its aftermath.
In the striking black-and-white music video, the Run the Jewels MC is seen stripped of his jewelry and placed in handcuffs, symbolizing the events of his Grammy night arrest.
Through his lyrics, he draws parallels between his experience and the Biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den. The video culminates in a hopeful note, with a cameo from his son Mikael “Pony Boy” Render, who recently received a life-saving kidney transplant.
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Reflecting on his Grammy night ordeal, Mike raps, “I won at the Grammys / did that for Atlanta / swept up like a janitor / got sent to the slammer / treat me like an animal or some kind of Hannibal.” He then reveals, “I went to sleep as free as could be / and the next day my son got a kidney.”
“I believe that humility and worship granted me God’s grace in the face of that test,” the rapper says.
During his album of the year acceptance speech at the BET Awards, Killer Mike addressed his arrest and the subsequent journey, saying, “Technically, I was not supposed to be here. I was put in handcuffs and I was marched out of this building, but I want to tell you, look at God because I’m back baby. I’m back and I’m winning.”
“I want to tell Black people that because of BET I’m back. Not ’cause of no white person calling nobody. A Black man runs this business, a Black company put this show on, and they got my Black ass back in here. Thank y’all.”
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Mike also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of civic engagement, urging viewers to vote in the upcoming elections.
“Who we vote for on the big stage is important, but it’s more important you know who your city council person is, who your prosecutor is,” he said “And if you don’t like the people running, run your Black a** to the polls and run yourself.”
Killer Mike’s arrest on Feb. 4, 2024, after winning three Grammys, including best rap album for Michael, stemmed from an altercation with a security guard outside the Grammy pre-telecast in February.
Although he was initially charged with misdemeanor battery, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office later declined to pursue criminal charges. Instead, Mike completed a community service requirement, leading to the case’s resolution.
Killer Mike is currently on a North American tour supporting his latest album, with upcoming performances at major festivals including Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival, and Montreal International Jazz Festival.
“HUMBLE ME” is slated to appear on the follow-up to MICHAEL – Mike’s first solo album in over a decade – which is expected to drop later this summer via Loma Vista Records.
The rapper, backed by the Mighty Midnight Revival choir, will be on tour through early fall with stops at major festivals and a Blue Note Jazz Club residency.
