Lil Nas X has been hospitalised in Los Angeles following a shocking incident that has sparked concern among fans and raised questions about his health.
The 26-year-old rapper, best known for his record-breaking hit Old Town Road, was spotted in the early hours of Thursday morning wandering down Ventura Boulevard wearing nothing but white underwear and cowboy boots. Footage obtained by TMZ showed the Grammy winner behaving erratically, at one point placing an orange traffic cone on his head before reportedly charging at police officers when they arrived on the scene.
The LAPD confirmed officers had been called at around 5:50 a.m. to reports of “a nude man walking in the street.” A spokesperson told the New York Post: “Upon arrival, the suspect charged at officers and was taken into custody. He was transported to a local hospital for a possible overdose.” The department did not initially identify the man as Lil Nas X, but TMZ’s video captured him clearly.
Witnesses claimed that when approached on Ventura Boulevard, the singer told passers-by he was on his way to a party. Police subdued and handcuffed him before transporting him to hospital, where he remains under observation. Reports suggest he may face charges once he is discharged.
The incident comes just months after Lil Nas X — real name Montero Lamar Hill — was hospitalised in April for partial facial paralysis. At the time, he shared photos from his hospital bed, showing one side of his face drooping. “I can’t even laugh right, bro. What the f–k. Oh my God, oh my God, bro,” he told fans, though he later reassured followers that his condition had improved.
In the hours leading up to Thursday’s ordeal, Nas posted a flurry of cryptic images and captions to Instagram. Photos showed his home in disarray, with furniture and artwork scattered across the floor. One selfie was captioned: “And just like that she’s back. We’ve all waited so long. When dreamworld needed her the most.” Another read: “OH NO sHES GONE MAD! CRAZY I TELL U!”
The social media posts left fans worried about his mental state, especially given his past openness about grief and personal struggles. In a 2020 interview with Variety, Nas revealed how his grandmother’s death in 2018 deeply affected him. “My grandmother passing — she was the first person close to me who died. It was devastating. And it made me a hypochondriac: I’d wake up, heart racing. It was scary.”
He admitted that during this period he began smoking cannabis heavily as a way to cope, explaining that it left him feeling “more connected with the universe” and prone to seeing meaning in signs and coincidences.
The rapper has also spoken candidly about his complicated family background. In the same interview, he described his mother as “an addict,” acknowledging their strained relationship. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict so we don’t have the closest relationship. Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love.”
Nas’s fans have flooded social media with messages of support since the news broke, many calling for him to focus on his health. His representatives have not yet released a statement on his condition.
For now, the future remains uncertain for one of music’s most influential young stars, whose boundary-pushing persona and outspoken creativity have made him a cultural icon. What is clear is that his latest hospitalisation will reignite concern over the pressures of fame and the toll it has taken on his physical and mental wellbeing.
