Lil Nas X was rushed to the hospital early Thursday morning after a bizarre and troubling incident on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles. The Grammy-winning rapper, famous for his breakout hit Old Town Road, was spotted wandering the street at around 4 a.m., wearing nothing but underwear and cowboy boots.
Video obtained by TMZ shows the 26-year-old musician rambling about attending an upcoming party, telling the person filming not to miss it. He danced sporadically, shouted nonsensically, and even placed a traffic cone on his head as he moved erratically down the boulevard.
TMZ reports that Lil Nas X was handcuffed and hospitalised after being spotted roaming LA at 4am in his underwear. pic.twitter.com/oEr0s3ueIP
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 21, 2025
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers were dispatched at about 5:50 a.m. after multiple calls about a nude man walking in traffic. When officers approached, the suspect, later identified as Lil Nas X, allegedly charged at them. He was subdued, taken into custody, and arrested for battery on a police officer. Police confirmed he was then transported to a local hospital for what they described as a possible overdose.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with onlookers unsure whether they were watching a publicity stunt or a serious breakdown. The video quickly spread online, sparking a flood of concern from fans. Social media users pointed out that the rapper had recently posted cryptic updates, including messy house photos and captions that suggested he was struggling.
This incident comes after a rough stretch for the artist. Earlier this year, Lil Nas X revealed that he suffered partial facial paralysis, sharing a hospital-bed video where one side of his face appeared immobile. He later assured fans he was recovering and tried to joke about the ordeal, but it underscored that 2025 has been a difficult year for him both personally and professionally.
The hospital scare also adds to growing scrutiny over what Lil Nas X has bluntly called his “flop era.” After dominating pop culture with Montero (Call Me By Your Name) and Industry Baby, his recent singles have failed to gain traction. Songs intended to lead into his forthcoming album Dreamboy haven’t charted the way his earlier work did.
Lil Nas X even acknowledged the slump himself, telling fans that he knew expectations were high but that he was determined to reinvent himself. Part of that reinvention included parting ways with longtime manager Adam Leber and signing with Crush Music earlier this year, in hopes of a fresh push.
Despite the setbacks, his influence remains significant. The Long Live Montero tour and documentary proved he could sell out arenas and drive conversations around identity and creativity. Even now, amid troubling headlines, his name trends instantly, showing how firmly planted he still is in the cultural spotlight.
Old Town Road rapper Lil Nas X was arrested and hospitalized after he was spotted roaming the streets of LA half naked in cowboy boots
It’s suspected that he was suffering from a OD pic.twitter.com/03KK4hMvvO
— 6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) August 21, 2025
At present, representatives for Lil Nas X have not released an official statement. He remains hospitalized for evaluation, and fans are left waiting for news. Whether this strange early-morning episode is a wake-up call for the performer or another chapter in a chaotic year remains to be seen.
For Lil Nas X, who went from viral sensation to global superstar almost overnight, the question now is whether he can overcome this difficult period and once again dominate both the charts and the headlines, this time for the music, not the mayhem.
