US rapper charged with assaulting police officers in Los Angeles pleads not guilty in court.

US rapper Lil Nas X, real name Montero Lamar Hill, has pleaded not guilty after being charged with multiple counts of assaulting police officers during a bizarre incident in Los Angeles.

The 26-year-old Grammy-winning artist, best known for global hits Old Town Road and Industry Baby, was arrested last Thursday after police received reports of a naked man walking through the city’s Ventura Boulevard at dawn. Witnesses said Hill, dressed only in white briefs and cowboy boots, was seen strutting down the middle of the street as if on a catwalk, at times posing for onlookers and even balancing a traffic cone on his head.

According to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Hill now faces three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Prosecutors allege he punched an officer twice in the face before being subdued and taken to hospital.

He is currently being held on $75,000 bail, conditional on attending drug treatment. It remains unclear whether he has posted bail and been released.

Hill appeared briefly in court on Monday, where his lawyer, Christy O’Connor, urged the judge to consider his previously unblemished record. “Assuming the allegations here are true, this is an absolute aberration in this person’s life. Nothing like this has ever happened to him,” she told the court, describing his career as “remarkable.”

His next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 15 September, when the court will hear further evidence.

Footage of the incident, widely circulated online after being obtained by TMZ, showed Hill interacting with drivers and pedestrians in what appeared to be a confused or erratic state. In one clip, he told a passing driver to “come to the party,” while in another he scolded someone filming him: “Didn’t I tell you to put the phone down?” At one point he added ominously: “Uh oh, someone’s going to have to pay for that,” before striding away.

A law enforcement source told NBC News that officers at the scene were unsure whether Hill was under the influence of substances or experiencing mental distress. The source claimed that during the encounter he became aggressive, striking one officer in the face before resisting attempts to restrain him.

Police later confirmed that Hill was taken to a local hospital for assessment before being booked into custody.

The episode has shocked fans and industry insiders alike. Hill, who rose to fame in 2019 with Old Town Road, has cultivated a flamboyant and unapologetic persona, often using public appearances and performances to challenge norms around masculinity, sexuality, and fame. However, his arrest marks the first time he has faced serious criminal charges.

The Los Angeles Police Department has not confirmed whether toxicology tests were carried out. If convicted, Hill could face a lengthy sentence given the seriousness of the charges, which involve injury to law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, speculation is swirling about the rapper’s state of mind and whether the incident could affect his career trajectory. His legal team has yet to comment publicly beyond the not guilty plea.

Fans have flooded social media with concern, some defending him as a victim of mental health struggles, while others have expressed shock at the nature of the allegations.

As the case develops, Lil Nas X faces a long legal battle that could define the next chapter of his career