Pleading non-guilty.
Lil Nas X appeared in court today for his bail hearing after being arrested last week. Unlike most crimes that are given an automatic bail number, because Lil Nas X was involved in a violent crime, he had to wait to see a judge, leading him to spend the weekend in jail.
What Lead To Lil Nas X’s Arrest?
On August 21st, according to NBC4, police responded around 6 AM to reports of a naked man on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles. When they arrived, officers found Lil Nas X (whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill) in the middle of the street wearing nothing but underwear and cowboy boots.
For those unfamiliar with Lil Nas X, he went viral a few years ago with his hit song “Old Town Road.” The tune topped the country music charts and divided the internet on whether it was actually a “country” song, all while Lil Nas X continued to release remixes featuring everyone from Billy Ray Cyrus to the yodeling kid, Mason Ramsey. Since then, the rapper has become a controversial figure due to stunts like selling shoes that contained drops of blood and attending the Met Gala wearing a thong and high heels.
However, the video obtained by TMZ showed a state of Lil Nas X that left fans concerned, leading them to the conclusion that this was not one of his “stunts” but rather a cry for help.
Video obtained by TMZ shows the singer strolling around and talking to the cameraman, telling them not to “be late to the party tonight” while breaking into song. He then takes off, strutting down the street in his white boots, instructing whoever was recording to get his “good side” and posing while he continued to talk about this party.
Other videos taken by citizens showed them interacting with the rapper, which is heartbreaking that their response was to egg on this behavior instead of calling for help for him.
Police say when they arrived on scene, the rapper charged at them and threw punches at the officers, who then took him to the ground. Lil Nas X was eventually taken to the ground and taken into custody, with police requesting firefighters and paramedics after suspecting an overdose.
He was taken to the hospital, but the LAPD expects that he will be booked for misdemeanor battery on a police officer once he’s released.
Lil Nas X Charged with Four Felony Counts
Lil Nas X was taken into custody once he was ready to be admitted to the hospital. Over the weekend, he spent time at the Van Nuys jail, awaiting his hearing, Monday, August 25th.
Although he is a celebrity, TMZ reports that he is not cutting lines and has to wait for his hearing, just like any other average Joe. The news outlet also reported that Lil Nas X is not eligible for bail because, under current law, nonviolent offenses are typically granted automatic bail amounts. The kind of offense Lil Nas X was brought in for means he has an automatic appearance in front of a judge to be “cited out.”
The rapper stood in front of the judge and plead not guilty to the four felony counts he was being charged, including three counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer.
At his hearing, his bail was set at $75,000 with some drug-related conditions. If the rapper posts bail, the judge ordered that Lil Nas X not own, use, or process illegal narcotics. The judge also said that the rapper would have to enroll in an outpatient program.
It’s good to see that the court system is encouraging Lil Nas X to seek the help he needs. Given that he was taken to the hospital for a suspected overdose.
After the hearing, TMZ spoke with Lil Nas X’s father, who shared that his son is deeply remorseful for what happened last Thursday evening, but noted that such incidents could happen to any family.
“He’s going to get the help that he needs. Just keep him in your prayers. Give him the same grace and mercy that God gives everyone.”
His father insisted that Lil Nas X is not on drugs and is “doing great” mentally. However, when asked what led to his actions that night, his father declined to comment.
Lil Nas X Addresses His Fans
Today, August 26th, Lil Nas X spoke for the first time since being released from jail. In a brief Instagram story, he told fans that he would be okay, but the last few days had been “terrifying.”
“Your girl is going to be okay, y’all. Okay. She’s gonna be alright, she’s gonna be alright. S**t. That was f***ing terrifying. That was terrifying. That was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be alright.”
Nas did not address in the video anything regarding his naked escapades in the street, but it seemed as though he was referring to jail when talking about how terrifying the last few days were.
Hopefully, Lil Nas X continues to improve upon entering an outpatient facility, per the judge’s orders. Given his not-guilty plea, it will be interesting to see what unfolds in the trial and whether the court agrees with his statement of not guilty or sees it differently.
In the meantime, it appears that Lil Nas X is grateful to be out of jail.
