Renowned rapper Lil Nas X’s legal troubles have worsened with 4 felony charges looming over his head after his bizarre public appearances in Los Angeles. The 25-year-old rapper, best known for his breakout hit Old Town Road, has entered a not guilty plea after waiving his formal arraignment on Monday.
Nas was taken into custody after being spotted naked on Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Police officers responding to calls say the encounter escalated when Nas allegedly lunged at them, leaving at least three injured. That confrontation led prosecutors to file four felony counts, including three for battery on a police officer and one for resisting an executive officer.
He remained in custody over the weekend, and on Monday morning, he appeared in court, where the judge set his bail at $75,000. His bail included strict conditions tied to substance use. If released, the rapper will be prohibited from possessing or using illegal drugs and must take part in an outpatient treatment programme. While prosecutors have not filed drug-related charges, the court’s bail conditions reflect ongoing concerns raised during his arrest.
Officers on the scene believed Lil Nas X was under the influence of drugs and took him to a hospital to receive urgent medical attention for a possible overdose. Afterwards, the rapper was taken into police custody at the Van Nuys jail, where law enforcement says he has been on his best behaviour, according to TMZ. The media reported that Nas has been keeping a relatively low profile in lockup.
The arrest capped off nearly 15 hours of erratic behaviour, some of which was captured on CCTV. Security footage from the Short Stories Hotel in West Hollywood showed Nas wandering through the lobby, drinking water, and removing his shirt before heading back outside.
Hours later, viral videos surfaced of him on Ventura Boulevard around 4 a.m., at first wearing only underwear and cowboy boots. He told passersby about a party and even covered his head with a traffic cone. Footage shows him singing, dancing, and interacting with passersby in the street before removing the underwear entirely. Additional video of him rapping and strutting the street naked around 5:45 a.m. was later released.
