Lil Nas X released after pleading not guilty to four felony charges in Los Angeles court

US rapper Lil Nas X, born Montero Hill, was released from jail on Monday, August 25, after posting a $75,000 bond. The 26-year-old appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court the same day and pleaded not guilty to four felony charges, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said the charges include three counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. If convicted, he could face up to five years in state prison, the DA’s August 25 statement confirmed.

The singer was arrested on Thursday, August 21, after Los Angeles police officers responded to reports of a man walking nude on Ventura Boulevard just before 6 a.m. Police later confirmed it was Lil Nas X, found wandering in underwear and cowboy boots. Authorities allege he struck an officer during the encounter. He was initially booked on a misdemeanor charge before prosecutors upgraded the case to felonies.

Police also said he was hospitalized for a possible overdose, though test results have not yet been confirmed. As a condition of his release, a judge ordered the musician to attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings each week.

His attorney, Christy O’Connor, told the Associated Press it was “too early to determine” whether substances played a role, calling the incident “an absolute aberration in his life.” Another lawyer on his team, Drew Findling, emphasized to The Hollywood Reporter that the artist had “never been in trouble for a split second” and insisted the case would not derail his career.

His legal team has stressed the incident is out of character, pointing to the pressures of international fame and his age. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 15, and the case remains ongoing.