In the early hours of August 21, 2025, the usually bustling Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood became the unlikely stage for an incident involving Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill. According to multiple outlets including ABC Los Angeles, AP, BBC, CNN, Los Angeles Times, and NBC News, Hill was arrested after a bizarre and troubling encounter with the police that ended with his hospitalization for a possible overdose and subsequent booking on suspicion of battery on a police officer.
Police were called to the 11000 block of Ventura Boulevard just before 6 a.m. after reports came in about a naked man walking in the street. As BBC details, the initial call was received at 5:30 a.m. local time, and officers arrived to find a man later identified as Lil Nas X, wearing only underwear and cowboy boots, strutting and dancing in the street. Video obtained by TMZ, as referenced by AP, Los Angeles Times, and NBC News, showed the rapper inviting passersby to “come to the party,” at one point donning an orange traffic cone as a hat and engaging with onlookers in a playful but erratic manner.
When officers approached, the situation quickly escalated. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson Charles Miller told CNN and BBC that “upon arrival the suspect charged at officers and was taken into custody.” NBC News further reports that, according to a law enforcement source, Hill punched one officer twice in the face during the encounter. Officers, concerned for his well-being, suspected a possible drug overdose or mental distress and transported him to a local hospital for evaluation before booking him into the Valley Jail in Van Nuys on suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a police officer, as confirmed by Los Angeles Times and CNN.
The spectacle on Ventura Boulevard was captured in detail by bystanders and media. Los Angeles Times described Hill as “strutting in the street down a mostly empty Ventura Boulevard wearing only white underpants and cowboy boots.” In the TMZ video, he was seen repeatedly telling a driver to put away their phone and inviting people to join his impromptu party. At one point, he placed an orange traffic cone on his head, adding to the surreal nature of the scene.
After being taken into custody, Lil Nas X was held at the Valley Jail in Van Nuys, as confirmed by AP, CNN, and Los Angeles Times. There was no immediate word on his condition following his release from the hospital, and representatives for the rapper did not respond to requests for comment from several news organizations.
The 26-year-old artist has been a fixture in the music world since his explosive 2018 hit “Old Town Road,” which blended country and hip-hop and spent a record-breaking 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, which featured Billy Ray Cyrus, also earned Lil Nas X two Grammy Awards and made him the first openly gay man to receive a Country Music Association award, as noted by BBC. His debut album “Montero,” released in 2021, went to No. 2 on the Billboard album chart and was nominated for a Grammy for album of the year.
Not one to shy away from controversy, Lil Nas X has often pushed boundaries with his music and public persona. His 2021 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” drew sharp criticism from conservative circles in the U.S., who labeled the music video “depraved” and “evil.” The artist, however, has met criticism with humor and defiance, at one point posting a fake apology video that segued into the infamous lap-dancing scene from the “Montero” video and joking on Twitter that he wanted his haters’ tears to “fill my Grammy cup,” as reported by BBC.
Behind the flamboyant persona, Hill has spoken candidly about his struggles with mental health and substance use. In a 2020 interview with Variety, he reflected on the challenges that accompanied his rapid rise to fame, including the deaths of fellow artists and the loss of his grandmother, which he described as devastating. “So much happened during my rise. You know, drugs and murders,” Hill told Variety. “And my grandmother passing—she was the first person close to me who died. It was devastating. And it made me a hypochondriac: I’d wake up, heart racing. It was scary.” He admitted to “smoking (weed) heavily” as a way to cope, saying, “But then I started feeling more connected with the universe, and taking everything as a sign.”
Earlier in 2025, Lil Nas X was hospitalized after losing control of the right side of his face, a health scare he shared with fans via Instagram, reassuring them, “It’s getting better y’all, I promise,” according to Los Angeles Times. In the days leading up to the Ventura Boulevard incident, he posted a series of cryptic photos and videos on Instagram, teasing new music and hinting at a new chapter in his career. Several of these posts featured surreal imagery and playful captions, such as a selfie in a fur coat and cowboy hat with the words, “OH NO sHES GONE MAD! CRAZY I TELL U!,” and another in a gold gown and tiara with the caption, “And just like that she’s back. We’ve all waited so long. When dreamworld needed her the most.”
Fans and observers are left with more questions than answers in the wake of Thursday’s incident. While the full circumstances and motivations behind Lil Nas X’s actions remain unclear, the episode has reignited conversations about celebrity, mental health, and the pressures of fame. The rapper’s history of openness about his personal struggles adds a layer of poignancy to the events on Ventura Boulevard, reminding the public that even those who appear confident and provocative on the world stage are not immune to vulnerability.
As the city of Los Angeles and the music industry await further updates, the incident stands as a stark illustration of the unpredictable intersection between celebrity, creativity, and personal turmoil. For now, Lil Nas X’s fans—and critics—will be watching closely to see what comes next for the artist who has never been afraid to surprise the world.
