(In US) Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X pleads not guilty after LA arrest on felony charges

 

Lil Nas X, the Grammy-winning rapper known for Old Town Road, has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges following his arrest in Los Angeles. The artist, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, was detained last week after police responded to calls of a nude man walking the streets in Studio City. According to officers, he charged at them when they arrived at the scene.

Prosecutors allege that three police officers were injured while trying to subdue him. He now faces three felony counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one felony count of resisting arrest. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to five years.

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The 26-year-old rapper was arraigned in court on Monday where his bail was set at seventy five thousand dollars. Reports from local media indicated that he was later taken to the hospital for a possible overdose before being transferred to jail, where he remained over the weekend. His representatives have not yet commented publicly.

Videos circulated online showed him wandering in only white cowboy boots and later fully nude, with one passerby attempting to sell his boots online for ten thousand dollars.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, said three officers were injured in the incident and stressed that assaults on law enforcement would carry serious consequences regardless of an individual’s celebrity status. Police officials said the situation was dangerous, not only for the officers but for members of the public in the area.

Lil Nas X has been a figure of both acclaim and controversy since rising to stardom with his record breaking song Old Town Road. The hit, which won two Grammy Awards, became the longest running number one on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for seventeen weeks. He also made history as the first openly gay man to win a Country Music Association award.

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The rapper has faced backlash over provocative music videos such as Montero, but he has also used humor and defiance to respond to critics. Despite his legal troubles, Lil Nas X is expected to release his highly anticipated second studio album Dreamboy later this year. He has been teasing new tracks on social media, building anticipation among fans.

For now, the case leaves uncertainty about his immediate future as both his career momentum and his legal battles converge in Los Angeles.