Killer Mike Grammys Arrest Conspiracy Theories Center On Biden

Rapper Killer Mike poses within the press room with the Grammy for Greatest Rap Efficiency, Greatest Rap Album and Greatest Rap Music throughout the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on the Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. | Supply: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

Listen: Everyone knows that social media might be and sometimes is the place the place widespread sense, essential considering and even bare-minimum intelligence go to die.

The web exposes the idiocracy each single day, however, arguably, nowhere is it as apparent as it’s on MAGA X, the baseless conspiracy theory-driven nook of the platform previously referred to as Twitter. That is the place the place abject stupidity is an Olympic sport and everyone seems to be contending for the gold.

The Grammy Awards And African Music: A Transient Historical past

That is the place the underside feeders of miseducation are spreading the rumor that Atlanta rapper Killer Mike was arrested on the Grammys after successful three awards—as a result of he refused to endorse President Joe Biden over Donald Trump.

In keeping with CNN, Killer Mike, born Michael Santiago Render, was arrested Sunday night time close to the venue the place the 66th Annual Grammy Awards had been held, on the Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles. What particularly bought Mike arrested hasn’t been reported, however, in keeping with the LAPD, he was booked on a misdemeanor battery cost after being detained and handcuffed for an alleged bodily altercation that passed off within the 700 block of Chick Hearn Courtroom, which is close to the sector. The Run The Jewels group member—who received three Grammys that night time together with Greatest Rap Album for Michael, Greatest Rap Efficiency and Greatest Rap Music for his single “Scientists and Engineers”—was launched on his personal recognizance the subsequent morning.

Two nights earlier than his arrest, Mike made an look on Actual Time with Invoice Maher, the place he declined Maher’s bid to have him publicly endorse Biden over Trump. The “Down By Regulation” rapper refused to endorse both candidate and as a substitute opted to “keep out of white people’ enterprise” by not leaping into the fray of the political squabble, and, as a substitute, he merely suggested folks to “vote for the particular person, not the coverage. In different phrases, Mike gave Maher essentially the most affordable, bipartisan, non-controversial reply the outspoken activist may presumably have given, and primarily based on that reply, the dumbest folks on-line determined the “huge state” authorities took him down for not explicitly endorsing the incumbent.

This goes effectively past complicated correlation with causation—as a result of there isn’t a correlation right here. Have been different rappers like Ice Dice, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Sexyy Pink and Waka Flocka Flame arrested by the proverbial powers that be after they explicitly endorsed Trump, which is rather more than what Mike did?

Secondly, since when are presidential endorsements by rappers essential within the political enviornment? Don’t get me mistaken—a rapper’s political perception is simply as priceless as that of some other one who shouldn’t be a political knowledgeable—however there was a time not way back when politicians and pundits for each events shaded rappers and rap music because the downfall of the Black group and society at massive. Even now, conservative pundits and politicians deflect to rap music each time they want a scapegoat for American violence or to justify their anti-Blackness. They definitely would avoid a rapper with “Killer” proper there in his identify.

Now, Mike is out right here posing for a pointless “Black good friend” photo-op with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and Republicans instantly assume his political opinions are so important that he was positioned in handcuffs on the Grammys on account of them. Thoughts you, these are the identical Trump supporters who’ve joined him in denouncing the very thought of systemic racism and fascinating in a propaganda-reliant assault on essential race concept. Anybody even casually acquainted with Mike’s music and platform is aware of that his whole presence in music, activism and politics has been primarily based on the truth of systemic racism. I imply this man has actually produced and starred in a docuseries on Netflix the place he has made a social experiment out of refusing to spend any cash outdoors of the Black group, and the “DEI is white Jim Crow” crowd thinks he’s on their aspect as a result of he wouldn’t endorse Biden.

That is going to be a protracted election 12 months, y’all. America the courageous. America the gorgeous. America the unfathomably silly. Gotta adore it!