Lil Nas X pleads not guilty to felony charges following Los Angeles arrest

Rapper and singer Lil Nas X has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges stemming from his recent arrest in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old artist, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, was arraigned in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday, where he entered a not guilty plea to three counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one count of resisting arrest, all felonies. His bail was set at $75,000, according to CBS News.

The charges follow an incident early Thursday morning when Los Angeles police responded to calls about a partially clothed man acting erratically on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. Authorities allege that Hill, wearing only white underwear and cowboy boots, became aggressive and charged at responding officers. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for a possible drug overdose, police said.

Videos and photos published by TMZ appear to show the Grammy-winning artist wandering the street before the alleged altercation, dancing and rapping while nearly nude. The footage, though unverified, has since gone viral, further fueling public attention on the case.

Lil Nas X has not yet made a public statement regarding the charges, and his representatives have not responded to requests for comment, according to the BBC.

The artist rose to fame in 2019 with his breakout hit Old Town Road, which earned him two Grammy Awards and broke Billboard records by staying at No. 1 for 17 weeks. He also made history as the first openly gay man to win a Country Music Association award.

Despite the legal trouble, Lil Nas X is expected to release his second studio album, Dreamboy, later this year. He recently teased new music clips via Instagram, signaling a potential return to the spotlight.