Lil Nas X's first court appearance took place in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on 25/8. According to AP, the 26-year-old rapper faces three counts of assaulting a police officer causing injury and one count of resisting an officer. These charges are more serious than initial reports suggesting he was under investigation for a misdemeanor. The artist could face over 10 years in prison if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, police found Lil Nas X walking naked on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City around 6 a.m. on 21/6. When questioned, he attacked the officers. Authorities suspected the rapper of a drug overdose and took him to the hospital. A few hours later, he was discharged and subsequently arrested. After three days in jail, Lil Nas X was released on 75,000 USD bail with the condition that he enters a rehabilitation program.
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Lil Nas X stands with his lawyer Christy O’Connor during a court appearance in Los Angeles on 25/8. Photo: AP |
Lil Nas X stands with his lawyer Christy O’Connor during a court appearance in Los Angeles on 25/8. Photo: AP
Lil Nas X's representatives have not yet commented further. Earlier, one of his lawyers, Christy O'Connor, told the judge that the rapper leads a "remarkable" life and has won two Grammy Awards. She called the incident "an anomaly in this person's life", stating that the artist has no prior convictions or history of violence. O'Connor also dismissed the police's suggestion of drug involvement. She said it was too early to draw conclusions without an official report.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the rapper's father, Robert Stafford, provided an update after the court hearing. He told reporters that Lil Nas X is "doing very well" after his arrest. The rapper will attend a preliminary hearing on 15/9.
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Rapper Lil Nas X at the 2019 AMAs. Photo: WireImage |
Rapper Lil Nas X at the 2019 AMAs. Photo: WireImage
Born Montero Lamar Hill in 1999 in the US, the rapper is known for his hits "Old Town Road", "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)", and "Industry Baby". Lil Nas X gained widespread recognition after the breakthrough success of "Old Town Road" in 2019. The version he performed with Billy Ray Cyrus (Miley Cyrus's father) set a record of 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. At the 2020 Grammy Awards, he was nominated for Best New Artist and won two awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video.
In late June 2019, Lil Nas X came out as gay during Pride Month. In March, he released the EP Days Before Dreamboy. The rapper is expected to release the album Dreamboy later this year.
In April, he was hospitalized after experiencing facial paralysis. On social media, the rapper said he lost control of half of his face but was recovering. A month later, he canceled a performance at the Outloud Pride music festival in West Hollywood. At the time, organizers announced that the rapper was experiencing health issues. He recently deleted old posts on Instagram and has been sharing new images and music related to his upcoming project.
The "Old Town Road" music video has over 1 billion views six years after its release. Video: YouTube/ Lil Nas X
Phuong Thao (according to AP, Hollywood Reporter)
