Out rapper and pop provocateur Lil Nas X has reportedly been hospitalised and arrested after wandering the streets of downtown Los Angeles in nothing but white briefs and boots in the early hours of Thursday morning.
According to reports, the 25-year-old allegedly assaulted a police officer during the incident and may face charges after his release from hospital.
The bizarre late-night outing has sparked a wave of speculation online, with some social media users wondering whether it was linked to drug use—or a promotional stunt for a rumoured new album.
Celebrity gossip site TMZ published a series of videos showing Lil Nas X strutting along Ventura Boulevard in L.A.’s Studio City neighbourhood, filmed by someone driving past. In the clips, he sings, strikes runway-style poses, and offers cryptic comments about a party.
“Hey! Don’t be late to the party tonight,” he says in the first video, before waving the camera operator away. “Go ahead, babe.”
In follow-up clips, Lil Nas X appears increasingly animated, snapping his fingers, voguing, and delivering memorable one-liners.
“Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down?” he says in one clip.
“Yes, I am serving you c**t,” he adds in another, before strutting down the middle of the road.
“Get my good side—ha! Every side, ha!” he jokes in yet another video.
He also references his explicit 2023 reggae song Batty Boy, singing the title lyric while dancing in the street. “It’s going to be a beautiful sunrise,” he says in a softer moment, before reaching toward the phone and saying, “Give me that phone so I can throw it… I don’t like phones.”
In a final video, the artist becomes more agitated:
“Don’t miss the party tonight. Why are you still here? You need to be telling everybody about the f**king party, girl.”
While the LAPD has not officially confirmed his identity, a spokesperson told PEOPLE magazine that a man “nude in the street” was arrested near downtown Los Angeles around 6 a.m. and transported to hospital for evaluation. The suspect is expected to be charged and booked upon discharge.
Lil Nas X is no stranger to pushing boundaries. In 2021, he made headlines after kissing a male dancer during his performance at the BET Awards—prompting complaints to the FCC. Although he didn’t win, his performance went viral and cemented his reputation as a bold LGBTQ+ artist.
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
His work has since earned him numerous accolades, including Grammy nominations for Montero (Call Me by Your Name) and a Songwriters Hall of Fame award in 2022. Despite several major nominations at the Grammys, BET Awards, and Billboard Music Awards, he remains known as much for his show-stopping antics as his chart-topping hits.
Whether the latest incident is a publicity stunt or something more serious remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: Lil Nas X continues to keep fans—and the media—talking.
