Grammy-winning artist Lil Nas X, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges, including three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. The charges stem from an incident early on August 21, 2025, when authorities encountered the 26-year-old rapper walking naked on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers found Hill naked shortly before 6 a.m.. Upon confrontation, police allege that Lil Nas X charged at the officers, leading to his arrest.
Following his arrest, officers, suspecting a possible overdose, transported Lil Nas X to a local hospital for treatment. He remained hospitalized for several hours before being taken to jail, where he spent the weekend. He was initially booked on suspicion of misdemeanor obstructing an officer before the felony charges were filed.
Lil Nas X appeared in court on Monday, August 25, 2025, for his arraignment, where he entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. He was held on $75,000 bail, with conditions including attendance at drug treatment programs. He was later released on bail, reportedly still wearing his jail attire. His next court date is scheduled for September 15, 2025. If convicted of all charges, Lil Nas X could face up to five years in state prison.
The criminal complaint details that for each of the three officers involved, Lil Nas X “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” on an officer performing their duty. The District Attorney’s office stated that “Attacking police officers is more than just a crime against those individuals but a direct threat to public safety. Anyone who assaults law enforcement will face serious consequences, no matter who they are or how famous they may be”.
Representing Lil Nas X, his attorney Christy O’Connor told the judge that the artist has led a “remarkable” life, including winning two Grammy awards. O’Connor emphasized that, assuming the allegations are true, this incident is an “absolute aberration” in his life, stating, “Nothing like this has ever happened to him”. The star’s father, Robert Stafford, also commented, describing his son as “very remorseful” and expressing confidence that he would “get the help that he needs”.
Lil Nas X, renowned for his genre-bending music, first achieved global fame with his 2018 hit “Old Town Road,” a song that merged country and hip-hop and spent a record 19 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His music career has been marked by innovative sounds and style, with his debut album “Montero” reaching number two on the Billboard album chart and earning a Grammy nomination for album of the year. The incident has drawn significant attention from fans and the media, with Lil Nas X himself posting on Instagram that the experience was “terrifying” but reassuring his fans that he would be “all right”.
