Lil Nas X’s health, particularly his mental stability, has been a topic of discussion since August 21st, after the rapper was discovered walking down Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles in the predawn hours wearing nothing but underwear and cowboy boots. Lil Nas X, born Montero Lamar Hill, was recorded conversing with the person taping him as he strutted down the empty street, clearly in a state of distress. From the moment video footage hit the internet, online speculation almost immediately veered toward an accusation: this is a publicity stunt for a new album.
Lil Nas X has historically lived for the drama, from giving Satan a lap dance in the music video for the 2021 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” to releasing controversial, unofficial Nike “Satan Shoes” featuring a bronze pentagram, an inverted cross, and a drop of real human blood. His actions since his “Old Town Road” debut have been attention-grabbing, to say the least, and the artist has often moved to capitalize on both exaltation and scrutiny alike. However, the latest headlines surrounding Lil Nas X seem to point toward an artist crying out for help, rather than attention.
Rampant social media chatter combined with little information has convoluted the actual facts and details of Lil Nas X’s recent legal and personal issues. Here’s what we know so far and how to think about what we don’t know yet, with additional context about mental health crises and how they’re perceived.
What Actually Happened to Lil Nas X?
According to TMZ and Rolling Stone, Lil Nas X was spotted nearly nude in the early morning on August 21st walking down Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. The Los Angeles Police Department, without naming Lil Nas X, confirmed that a young man was behaving erratically and speaking incoherently to someone filming him. At one point, he placed an orange traffic cone on his head. Police were called to the scene. Per the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, “Upon arrival, he is accused of assaulting the responding officers trying to take him into custody, injuring at least three of them.” Lil Nas X was restrained, handcuffed, and transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation related to a suspected overdose. He was then taken to jail, where he was held over the weekend.
Within days, reports shifted from Hill being hospitalized for a possible drug overdose to the rapper facing serious charges. On August 25th, Lil Nas X pleaded not guilty to four felony charges: three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one felony count of resisting an executive officer. If convicted, Lil Nas X faces up to five years in state prison. A judge set bail at $75,000 and said the rapper must attend an outpatient drug rehabilitation program. However, one of the artist’s attorneys, Christy O’Connor, said that her client was not taking illegal drugs prior to his arrest. “This is just an aberrant episode in an otherwise productive life,” O’Connor said.
Prior to the incident, Lil Nas X shared a barrage of odd posts on his Instagram page, after deleting all earlier posts two days before. On August 19th and 20th, he posted nearly a dozen images and videos, including mirror selfies, art, and clutter in what appears to be his home; some of the posts featured unreleased music. Lil Nas X also changed his display name to “QUEEN MADELINE,” which still appears on his profile.
“Your girl is gonna be okay, y’all. Okay?” Hill said in an Instagram Story video on August 26th, after being released from police custody. “She’s gonna be all right; she’s gonna be all right. Shit. That was fucking terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days, but your girl is gonna be all right.”
