Rapper Lil Nas X has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges after being arrested last week while wandering the streets of Los Angeles naked.
The 26-year-old artist, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, is facing three felony counts of battery causing injury to a police officer and one felony count of resisting arrest. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
Authorities say police responded to reports of a nude man walking along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City early Thursday morning. When officers arrived, the Grammy-winning rapper allegedly charged at them. He was later taken to a hospital for a possible overdose before being booked into jail.
Lil Nas X appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday, where his bail was set at $75,000, according to CBS News. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said three officers were injured while trying to restrain him.
“Attacking police officers is more than just a crime against those individuals, it’s a direct threat to public safety,” Hochman said. “Anyone who assaults law enforcement will face serious consequences, no matter their fame.”
Unverified videos and photos published by TMZ show the rapper first walking in just white underwear and cowboy boots, and later completely nude, dancing in the street and rapping lyrics from Kanye West’s Monster. A passerby reportedly picked up his cowboy boots and listed them on eBay for $10,000.
Lil Nas X spent the weekend in jail before his arraignment. The BBC has reached out to his representatives for comment.
The incident comes as the rapper prepares to release his long-awaited second album, Dreamboy, later this year. Known for pushing boundaries, he first rose to global fame with Old Town Road in 2019, a record-breaking hit that earned him two Grammy Awards.
