Lil Nas X has been struggling for years.
Six months before he was hospitalized and arrested following an alleged drug-related incident in Los Angeles, the rapper admitted to his social media followers that the “last few years” had been “pretty difficult.”
“I’m just now arriving to this place of feeling confidence in myself and what I’m doing, and I’m trying to make sure I put intention towards my music and my vision and the creativity of it all,” the 26-year-old explained in a selfie-style video in February, insisting that he was not trying to be “flaky” about his career.
Above all, he said he wanted to prioritize having “fun this time around” since he was “overly focused on making sure the songs did well” during the rollout of his 2021 album, “Montero.”
Lil Nas X acknowledged that he had fun working on that album but wanted his next “era” to be “even more full of joy” and “love.”
“I wanna go out here in this f–king world, and I wanna wave my hands in the sky and move about freely,” he said, adding, “I need you guys to stick beside me.”
He released an EP, “Days Before Dreamboy,” the following month, going on to explain his decision to remain mostly out of the spotlight in between the two major projects.
“I had to experience a mundane life,” the “Old Town Road” hitmaker told People at the time.
“I jumped straight into adulthood with extreme fame around me, so it was really nice to be just outside walking and meeting people in the streets and eating at restaurants, just even alone, spending a lot of alone time in solitude.”
Lil Nas X was hospitalized in April after losing control of one side of his face. He never disclosed the exact diagnosis but assured his fans the paralysis was only temporary.
He was seen on Wednesday afternoon wandering into and out of a Hollywood hotel, removing his shirt in the process.
Then, in the predawn hours of Thursday, the musician was filmed wearing only his underwear and cowboy boots while singing and roaming the streets. He instructed the person recording not to “be late to the party tonight” before noting, “It’s gonna be a beautiful sunrise.”
He later put an orange traffic cone on his head.
After multiple calls were placed to report the situation, Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived on the scene.
A public information officer told Page Six that Lil Nas X allegedly charged at the responding officers, with a source elaborating to NBC News that the artist allegedly twice punched an officer in the face.
He was transported to a local hospital for a “possible overdose” and then placed under arrest for battery on a police officer.
In the hours leading up to the ordeal, Lil Nas X exhibited worrisome behavior on Instagram, posting at least 11 photos of a disorganized house along with bizarre captions.
The Grammy winner has been open about his drug use in the past, previously confessing that he took psychedelic mushrooms while creating “Montero.”
He also told Variety that after the death of his grandmother in 2018, he self-medicated by “smoking [weed] heavily.”
However, he added at the time, “But then I started feeling more connected with the universe and taking everything as a sign.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 800-662-4357.
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