Midnight Cowboy? Lil Nas X Goes From Underwear Strut to Battery Bust

Los Angeles woke up to one of the most surreal celebrity moments of the year: Lil Nas X — aka Montero Lamar Hill — strutted down Ventura Boulevard in nothing but underwear and cowboy boots. The lone cowboy ended in an arrest that’s left fans shocked and speculating.

At approximately 5:50 a.m. on August 21, LAPD responded to reports of a nude man wandering the street. The suspect, who later identified as Lil Nas X, allegedly charged at police officers — which led to a misdemeanor battery on a peace officer charge. He was swiftly taken to a hospital on suspicion of a drug overdose, before being discharged and booked into Van Nuys’ Valley Jail shortly thereafter.

Fans had already noticed some unusual behavior in the days prior — namely, a massive Instagram cleanse followed by cryptic posts hinting at new music, including a teaser featuring Lil Jon. Now, some are wondering: is this a genuine moment of personal crisis, or a boundary-pushing publicity stunt? Only time (and perhaps a new album) will tell.