‘Old Town Road’ Rapper Lil Nas X, 26, Hospitalized and Arrested – Details

Authorities hospitalized and arrested Grammy-winning artist Lil Nas X after the unusual early morning encounter, a moment that quickly drew strong reactions online.

The 26-year-old performer, born Montero Hill, appeared disoriented as he walked along Ventura Boulevard in Studio City around 4 a.m. on Thursday, August 21, 2025, according to TMZ.

He wore nothing but underwear and cowboy boots, placed a traffic cone on his head, and muttered about going to a party — a scene bystanders captured on video that prompted multiple 911 calls about a nude man in the road.

When the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers arrived, they found Lil Nas X still in the street. He allegedly charged at them, leading officers to subdue and handcuff him.

Paramedics responded shortly after and treated the incident as a possible overdose. They transported the musician to a nearby hospital, where he remained under medical care as of Thursday afternoon.

At 6:10 a.m., police booked him on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer, according to public arrest records and a report released by TMZ. Officials have not filed additional charges but confirmed the incident remains under review.

Just hours before the early morning encounter, Lil Nas X posted a photo on Instagram showing a brightly decorated wall covered in colorful doodles, phrases, and abstract designs. He captioned it, “u see the world…. They let me know 💗[sic].”

The post featured original audio, with part of the caption echoing the words heard in the clip. The mix of playful artwork and cryptic messaging drew reactions from followers, who later connected it to the unusual events in Los Angeles.

One Instagram user speculated, “I lowkey wouldn’t be surprised if it’s staged for a song release, outta pocket yes but could be what it is. Sorry if that seems insensitive but it’s still a practical possibility [sic].”

Another wrote, “this seems like a cry for help 😭 let this boy release his music pls!!! [sic]” A different fan pleaded, “Montero pls come back mane I miss you 😢 [sic].”

Concerns over Lil Nas X’s well-being are not new. In April, he shared a now-removed Instagram video from a hospital bed showing that the right side of his face had become temporarily paralyzed.

Wearing a hospital gown and a Von Dutch cap, he tried to smile for the camera but showed that the right side of his face would not move. He expressed frustration and disbelief at not being able to laugh properly, and in the caption explained that he had lost control of that side of his face.

According to People, Lil Nas X appeared to be suffering from Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes temporary paralysis, usually on one side of the face.

Shortly afterward, he reassured fans through Instagram Stories, according to People. “Guys I am OK!! Stop being sad for me! Shake Ur ass for me instead!” and added, “Imma look funny for a lil but but that’s it 😭😭.”

Long before his rise to fame, Lil Nas X opened up about his early hardships in a TikTok video shared in February 2017.

In a series of clips, he described becoming the first in his family to attend college, but also battling depression and loneliness during that time. He revealed that his grandmother passed away while he was still in school, deepening his struggles.

The rapper went on to say that the stress fueled a fear of dying young, which led him to visit doctors frequently. He described this pattern as hypochondria.

According to the Mayo Clinic, hypochondria — also called illness anxiety disorder — is excessive worry about having or developing a serious illness, even without symptoms. The anxiety can worsen during stress, but therapy and sometimes medication may help.

Lil Nas X also shared that in May 2018, he began making music and briefly felt happy again after moving in with his sister. However, his circumstances shifted once more — he said his sister later asked him to leave, his brother left for the military, and his songs stopped gaining traction.

By November of the same year, Lil Nas X recalled moving in with another brother in a home where he said domestic violence occurred daily.

The video ended on a turning point: despite the setbacks, he noted that “something happened,” hinting at the breakthrough that would soon change his life.

That breakthrough came in 2019, when he released “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. The track exploded in popularity, blending country and rap in a way that dominated both charts and culture.

According to Billboard, the song went on to spend a record-breaking 19 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest run ever in the chart’s history.

As his career took off, Lil Nas X began using his platform not only for music but also to share deeply personal reflections. In March 2021, he published an open letter to his 14-year-old self on X.

In it, he described the fear he once carried about being openly gay, admitting he had promised himself never to come out publicly. He explained that breaking that promise could open doors for other queer people to live freely and authentically.

“the agenda to make people stay the f— out of other people’s lives and stop dictating who they should be. sending you love from the future [sic],” he shared.

Two months later, in May, he announced the video for “Sun Goes Down,” explaining that the single reflected his younger self’s struggles with isolation, self-hatred, and not wanting to live. He said the project aimed to uplift that younger version of himself while offering hope to others facing similar challenges.

Lil Nas X’s recent hospitalization underscored how quickly health challenges can affect public figures — a reality Tamar Braxton also reflected on in her recent update about her own wellness. On August 19, she walked her followers through a range of emotions on social media.

On her Instagram Story, Braxton began by reposting a short message from the account @trustgodbro. Set against a black background with a worship song playing, she expressed gratitude for waking up.

She then followed with a much longer message on a gradient background of blue, green, and yellow. Using white script-style font, she explained that she struggled to write because she felt weak and could hardly speak.

Braxton revealed that she “almost died Sunday” after a friend found her in a pool of blood. She described suffering a fractured nose, losing teeth, and experiencing mobility issues. She told fans that the ordeal had changed the way she sees life, and she asked them to pray for her, closing the post with heartbreak emojis.

Finally, she turned to faith by sharing a photo of an open Bible with a highlighted passage from Proverbs 31, pointing to themes of strength, wisdom, and resilience as she reflected on her recovery.

Braxton’s revelation quickly drew a wave of responses online. Someone questioned the lack of detail, “How you don’t know what happened to you?!. I need a backstory for this one ☝🏾.”

A second observed, “There had to be some major impact and trauma to her body. If she can post to social media she definitely has the wherewithal to find out what caused her major injuries.”

Speculation also surfaced about possible causes. “Maybe she passed out? Had a stroke? Was she home? So many questions,” one person asked. Another added, “Omggg she must’ve passed out smh [sic].”

Many fans focused on comfort and encouragement. One supporter commented, “Praying for healing.” Another wrote, “Wow! Hope all goes well for her. There’s a lot to imagine what could have happened to her.”

Messages of support extended to her family, too, with a fan saying, “Blessings to her and her son he needs his mother 🙏🙏🙏,” referring to her son, Logan Vincent Herbert, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Vincent Herbert.

Others expressed general sympathy, “Wow, very sad accident, hope she recovers and gets better. So much goes on in the world…” Braxton’s latest ordeal comes after a series of health challenges over the past decade.

In 2020, Braxton was reportedly rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after being found unresponsive in her hotel room. At the time, it was believed to be a possible suicide attempt following mounting stress over her contract with WeTV.

Police confirmed they received a call describing the emergency as a possible overdose, and she remained under close medical care.

In a since-deleted Instagram post days later, Braxton described how the pressures of her career had left her feeling defeated. “In this present moment, it is my only responsibility to be real with myself and to be real with the ones who truly love me and care for my healing,” she wrote.

She explained that she felt mistreated and exploited in her work, saying the network had overworked and underpaid her. She revealed that she had asked to be released from what she considered an unfair contract, but her requests were ignored.

Braxton described the experience as losing her sense of self, as though she were “no longer living” for her own purpose but only for the benefit of a television network.

Five years earlier, in 2015, Braxton had to step away from “Dancing with the Stars (DWTS)” after being hospitalized. Before this, she had collapsed during rehearsals and was initially told she had pneumonia, but further testing revealed a more serious condition.

From her hospital bed, Braxton informed fans in a now-deleted social media post that her time on “DWTS” had ended. She explained that doctors discovered she was not suffering from pneumonia, as initially thought, but from several pulmonary embolisms (PE), or blood clots in both lungs.

Despite the setback, she expressed gratitude for her life, “I woke up to a mirror and saw myself this morning and that makes me the winner because that almost wasn’t the case. Take care of yourselves… I love you and thank you ALL for your support.”