Fans of Lil Nas X were left puzzled and looking for answers after the rapper was arrested in the early hours of August 21.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the rapper, 26, was taken into custody after he attempted to “batter an officer.” He has since been charged with four felonies.
Us Weekly has reached out to Lil Nas X’s representatives for comment.
The arrest comes months after the rapper reflected on “pretty difficult” months in a video shared via social media in February. “These last few years were pretty difficult for me,” he said. “I’m just now arriving to this place of feeling confidence in myself and what I’m doing, and I’m trying to make sure I put intention towards my music and my vision and the creativity of it all.”
Keep scrolling to read everything we know about the arrest of Lil Nas X.
Lil Nas X Hires Donald Trump’s Lawyer to Fight Felony Charges
Lil Nas X Was Arrested and Hospitalized
Lil Nas X was arrested and later hospitalized on August 21. A spokesperson from the Los Angeles Police Department told Us Weekly officers responded to a call about a “nude man walking in the street” on Ventura Boulevard” before 6 a.m. that morning, and “batter an officer, so he was booked for battery of a [peace officer].”
Authorities initially declined to name Lil Nas X directly.
TMZ later reported the rapper was transported to a local hospital and treated for a suspected overdose before he was formally charged and booked.
The rapper’s behavior ahead of his arrest raised eyebrows. On August 20, he posted portions of songs as well as photos of his home before deleting the images from social media.
Lil Nas X Was Charged With 4 Felonies in Court
The “Montero” singer was charged with four felonies, including battery with injury on a police officer and resisting an executive officer, on August 25.
Judge Sarah Ellenberg in Van Nuys set the rapper’s bail at $75,000, which is a significant decrease from the $300,000 recommended per court documents reviewed by Us Weekly. Lil Nas X pleaded not guilty, and the case will be moved to pretrial on September 15.
The rapper has also hired Drew Findling, who represented President Donald Trump during a 2022 investigation into potential election interference. Findling’s past clients have also included Cardi B and Migos.
Lil Nas X’s Dad Denied Rapper’s Drug Use
Despite reports that Lil Nas X was hospitalized for a suspected overdose, his father, Robert Stafford, denied his son was on drugs at the time of his arrest.
While speaking to Variety in 2020, the rapper reflected on his own drug use in the wake of his grandmother’s 2018 death.
“So much happened during my rise,” he told the outlet. “You know, drugs and murders. 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.”
To cope, he began “smoking [weed] heavily,” which came with its own issues: “But then I started feeling more connected with the universe, and taking everything as a sign.”
Lil Nas X Charged With Misdemeanor and Booked After Hospitalization
He also revealed he secretly attempted to get his mother into rehab for addiction. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship. Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love,” he explained.
Lil Nas X Released on Bond
Lil Nas X was released on bond at 3:04 p.m. on August 25, per the sheriff’s inmate database. A photo showed him exiting the jail in blue government-issued scrubs.
Lil Nas X Was Spotted Wandering L.A. Hours Before His Arrest
According to surveillance footage obtained by TMZ, the “Old Town Road” artist was spotted wandering on the street outside the Short Stories Hotel in L.A. about 15 hours before his arrest. In the footage, taken around 1:30 p.m. on August 20, the rapper was seen dancing on the sidewalk in jeans and a T-shirt before entering the hotel and walking around the lobby.
Police Seemingly Deployed a Taser
In police scanner audio obtained by TMZ on August 25, a police dispatcher can be heard saying a completely nude man was walking in the street toward officers. The dispatcher says officers are requesting “use of force,” and the sound of a taser can be heard. It’s not clear whether Lil Nas X was struck by the taser.
Lil Nas X Breaks His Silence
The rapper spoke out about his arrest for the first time in an Instagram Story video shared on August 26. “You girl is going to be OK, y’all,” he told his followers. “She’s going to be alright. She’s going to be alright. S***. That was f***ing terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days, but your girl is going to be alright.”
