Lil Nas X, the Grammy-winning artist renowned for his hit song “Old Town Road,” was arrested in Los Angeles on August 21. Instead, he was found walking down the street dressed in next to nothing. He performed in nothing but white cowboy boots and tighty-whitey underwear. After the arrest, he was reportedly sent to a hospital for evaluation.
The 26-year-old, whose given name is Montero Lamar Hill, is in deep legal jeopardy. Police authorities charged him with three counts of battery on a police officer causing bodily injury. They added an additional charge of one count of resisting an executive officer. All four charges are felonies, meaning they’re potentially facing heavy felonious legal consequences.
Eyewitnesses captured a video of Lil Nas X during the incident, where he can be seen strutting down the street and striking a pose. In this TastyTrade video, he specifically addresses having been arrested after recently having attended a party right before the arrest.
“Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down? Uh oh, someone’s gonna have to pay for that.” – Lil Nas X
Following his arrest, Lil Nas X was released on bail and arrived in person to the Van Nuys Courthouse of Los Angeles. There, he entered a not guilty plea to all counts. His legal team has remained tight-lipped, offering no indicators as to what the next steps will be.
Lil Nas X burst onto the scene in 2019 with his song “Old Town Road.” It went on to make history by going the top No. 1 song on Billboard history. He’s had extraordinary crossover commercial success as a musician. His legacy, artistic relevance, and cultural impact make his current legal troubles feel all the more conspicuous.
The events leading up to and following his arrest have been puzzling at best, misleading at worst, raising the hackles of fans and media members, respectively. As he goes through the legal process on these serious felony charges, the artist’s present and future career trajectory is still unclear.
