Lil Nas X Pleads Not Guilty in Studio City Battery Case

A Los Angeles courtroom became the latest stage for Grammy-winning artist Lil Nas X this week, as the “Old Town Road” rapper entered a not guilty plea to serious felony charges. The court appearance comes days after a public incident in Studio City that led to his arrest and a brief hospitalization for a suspected overdose, sending shockwaves through the music industry and his global fanbase.

The 26-year-old rapper, born Montero Hill, was formally charged with three felony counts of battery with injury upon a police officer and one misdemeanor count of resisting an executive officer. A Van Nuys court judge set his bail at $75,000, stipulating that his release is contingent upon attending four Narcotics Anonymous meetings weekly or enrolling in an outpatient treatment program.

What Led to the Lil Nas X Arrest in Studio City?

The chain of events began on a Thursday afternoon along Ventura Boulevard. Startled drivers captured cellphone video of the artist, a prominent and often controversial figure in pop culture, walking in his underwear and cowboy boots. The situation escalated rapidly, with reports indicating he later disrobed completely and began wandering in the street, prompting multiple 911 calls.

According to official statements from the Los Angeles Police Department, officers dispatched to the scene were met with an aggressive response. The criminal complaint alleges that Hill charged toward the responding officers, resulting in the physical altercation that forms the basis of the battery charges. Due to concerns he was experiencing a drug overdose, police transported him to a local hospital for medical evaluation before he was formally booked into jail.

A Promising Career Now Under a Cloud

The incident casts a shadow over one of music’s most meteoric recent success stories. Hill rocketed to unprecedented fame in 2018 with “Old Town Road,” a country-rap fusion that shattered records by spending 19 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart—a feat no other song has achieved.

His subsequent work, including the critically acclaimed 2021 album “Montero,” solidified his reputation as a genre-bending innovator and fearless LGBTQ+ icon. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, marking him as a defining artist of his generation. This recent arrest, however, introduces a significant and personal challenge that extends far beyond the recording studio.

Outside the courthouse, his legal counsel, Drew Findling, acknowledged the severity of the moment while pointing to an outpouring of public support. His father, Robert Stafford, made a brief but emotional appeal to the media, simply asking for prayers for his son. The case is scheduled for a follow-up hearing in mid-September.

This high-profile incident underscores the intense pressures facing modern celebrities while raising serious legal and personal health questions for the artist at its center. The outcome of the case against Lil Nas X will be closely watched as proceedings continue.

Must Know

What is Lil Nas X charged with?
Lil Nas X, whose legal name is Montero Hill, is facing three felony counts of battery with injury upon a police officer and one misdemeanor count of resisting or obstructing an executive officer. The charges stem from an alleged physical altercation with officers during his arrest.

Why was Lil Nas X arrested?
He was arrested after Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to calls about a nude man wandering in the street in Studio City. Upon their arrival, he allegedly charged at them, leading to the altercation and his subsequent arrest.

Was Lil Nas X hospitalized?
Yes. After being taken into custody, the arresting officers suspected he was suffering from a drug overdose. He was transported to a hospital for medical treatment before being released and booked into jail a few hours later.

What is the bail condition for Lil Nas X?
The court set his bail at $75,000. As a condition of his release, the judge ordered that he must either attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings every week or enter an outpatient treatment program.

What is Lil Nas X’s most famous song?
He is best known for his 2018 smash hit “Old Town Road,” which held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record-breaking 19 weeks.