Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X, born Montero Lamar Hill, found himself at the center of a dramatic and deeply public legal battle this August after a bizarre and troubling incident in Los Angeles. The artist, whose meteoric rise began with the record-shattering hit “Old Town Road,” is now facing four felony charges stemming from an altercation with police officers in Studio City, Los Angeles—a situation that has left his fans, family, and the music industry reeling.
The saga began in the early hours of August 21, 2025, when startled motorists on Ventura Boulevard reported seeing the 26-year-old star walking in nothing but his underwear and cowboy boots. According to People and the Los Angeles Police Department, the situation quickly escalated: Lil Nas X later disrobed completely, wandering nude through the street and prompting a flurry of 911 calls. TMZ released footage showing the rapper at 4 a.m., first clad only in underpants and boots, then fully nude—an unsettling sight for both passersby and his fans worldwide.
Responding officers arrived to find the artist in a highly agitated state. According to the criminal complaint obtained by People, Lil Nas X “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” upon three different officers, all of whom were performing their official duties. The complaint further states that Hill “should have known that said person was a peace officer...engaged in the performance of duty.” The altercation resulted in three felony counts of battery with injury upon a police officer and one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an executive officer, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter and New York Post.
Due to concerns that Hill was experiencing a drug overdose, officers transported him to a local hospital for medical evaluation before booking him into jail. However, the question of whether drugs played a role in the incident remains contentious. While the police cited overdose concerns, Hill’s attorneys have firmly disputed any allegations of drug use, noting that drug test results were still pending. His father, Robert Stafford, was adamant in his defense, stating to reporters, “He absolutely did not take illegal substances.” Stafford added, “He’s doing great mentally. We shed tears, we shed laughter, but he’s in great spirits. He’s gonna be great.”
On August 25, 2025, Hill appeared in a Van Nuys courtroom, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. The judge set his bail at $75,000—a significant reduction from prosecutors’ $300,000 request—and imposed strict conditions for his release. Hill must attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings weekly or enroll in an outpatient treatment program. According to New York Post, the rapper responded affirmatively to the judge’s order regarding treatment, signaling his willingness to comply with the court’s requirements.
Outside the courthouse, Hill’s legal team struck a note of cautious optimism. Drew Findling, one of the attorneys representing Lil Nas X, told reporters, “He’s never been in trouble for a split second in his existence, we’re not going to let one little event change the trajectory of his amazing life. There’s no way to have a sense of what happened this immediately, but we’re going to look into it and do the right thing.” Christy O’Connor, another attorney, underscored that drug tests had not yet come back, further challenging the narrative of substance abuse.
Meanwhile, Hill’s father offered a heartfelt plea to the public: “It can happen to any family. He’s going to get the help he needs. So keep him in your prayers,” he said, adding, “God is good.” The outpouring of support from fans and family alike has been palpable, even as the artist faces the most serious legal and personal challenge of his career.
For his part, Lil Nas X broke his silence on social media, posting an Instagram Story on August 25 in which he described the ordeal as “terrifying.” In his own words: “Your girl is gonna be OK, boo. OK? S–t’s gonna be all right. S–t’s gonna be all right. S–t. That was f–king terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be all right.” The candid post offered a rare glimpse into the emotional toll the incident had taken on the artist, who has long been open about his personal struggles with confidence and mental health.
Indeed, just two days before the incident, Hill had scrubbed his Instagram account and posted a series of disjointed messages from his trashed multi-million dollar Los Angeles home, referencing his return to “dreamworld.” In one since-deleted video, he spoke about his years-long struggle with confidence and described himself as a self-medicated “hypochondriac” following the death of his grandmother in 2018—the same year he skyrocketed to fame with “Old Town Road.” Hill admitted to smoking weed “heavily,” saying it made him feel “more connected with the universe.”
This sudden and public unraveling stands in stark contrast to the artist’s previously unblemished legal record and his reputation as a fearless innovator in the music industry. Lil Nas X’s 2018 hit “Old Town Road” spent an unprecedented 19 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the bestselling singles of all time. The remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus won Grammy Awards for Best Music Video and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, cementing Hill’s place in pop culture history. He followed this success with critically acclaimed tracks like “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” and “Industry Baby.”
Yet, as Billboard and other outlets have noted, the pressures facing modern celebrities—especially those who break boundaries and challenge norms—can be immense. The events of August 21 have cast a shadow over Hill’s career, raising questions about the toll of fame and the resources available to artists grappling with personal crises.
Lil Nas X’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 15, 2025, where the legal process will continue to unfold. His supporters remain hopeful that the outcome will allow the artist to recover and return to the creative heights that defined his rise. As his attorney Drew Findling put it, “Give him the same grace and mercy that God gives everyone.”
For now, the world watches as Lil Nas X faces both the music and the courts, hoping that his story—marked by both triumph and turmoil—will find a new, more hopeful verse in the months ahead.
