Rapper and singer Lil Nas X is facing felony charges stemming from a possible overdose episode that led to him strutting the streets of Los Angeles in the nude on Thursday, after which he allegedly injured several police officers.
The two-time Grammy winner, 26, was hospitalized following the incident, per TMZ, which reported that Nas X now faces four felony charges, including battery with injury on a police officer. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on Monday and was released on $75,000 bail. He was also ordered into drug rehab, per New York Post.
Lil Nas X was spotted on the streets of L.A. last week by fans and onlookers, where he was wearing nothing but tighty-whities and cowboy boots. According to video of the incident, the musician was strutting, alone at 4 a.m. on Ventura Blvd, and at one point placed an orange traffic cone on his head. The previous day, he was spotted acting strangely outside of a hotel in West Hollywood in more video footage obtained by the site.
After several police calls about the nude individual wandering the street, officers arrived on the scene, where they say the rapper-singer charged them, resulting in injuries to at least three cops. Paramedics believed Nas X had been suffering an overdose of some kind and sent him to a nearby hospital to recover before he was hit with the felony charges Monday.
Law enforcement told Rolling Stone, “The man charged at officers after they attempted to approach him. He was then placed in handcuffs and transported to seek medical care for a possible overdose.” The source also said that he “threw punches at officers, leading to a use of force by the officers, who forced him to the ground.” Nas X was held without bail throughout the weekend.
The controversial musician is known for his attention-grabbing publicity moves to promote his projects. He activated conservatives with his Satan-centric promotion of the 2021 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which in addition to a music video in which he gives Satan a lap dance, he also drew attention to by releasing 666 pairs of “Satan Shoes”—Nike Air Max 97s featuring Satanic imagery and a drop of human blood in the sole.
While some fans believe his recent antics may be yet another grab for attention ahead of a new project, video footage suggests the musician was actually in distress. And now, he faces serious prison time.
“He’s very remorseful for what happened,” the singer’s dad told the Post Monday of his son’s ordeal. “It can happen to any family. He’s going to get the help he needs. So keep him in your prayers.”
