Lil Nas X shared an intimate update on Wednesday from his recovery journey, opening up publicly about his bipolar disorder diagnosis and his time in treatment. In a nearly three-minute Instagram video, the 27-year-old musician said he has spent months in rehab and recently returned to both his native Atlanta and his home in Los Angeles.
The candid post marks a turning point following his August arrest in Los Angeles, when police say he charged at officers responding to reports of a man walking nude on a busy boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. He was booked on three counts of battery with injury to a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer after the confrontation left three officers injured.
"I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful," Lil Nas X said in the video. He explained that he had suspected his bipolar disorder diagnosis for years but resisted accepting it. "When I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis, I feel like I had known for the past few years, but I didn't want to admit to it 'cause I didn't want to have to take medication and, I don't know, have people think different of me."
After spending three days in jail following the August incident, he was released on $75,000 bail conditional on attending drug treatment. In April, a judge approved his entry into a mental health diversion program, recognizing that the encounter with police stemmed from his untreated condition and represented an aberration from his typical behavior. If he completes the program and remains law-abiding for two years, the felony charges will be dismissed.
In Wednesday's video, Lil Nas X conveyed optimism about his progress. "I'm doing much better," he said. "I'm feeling better. I'm creating freely. And there's less fear in my heart." He also announced that new music is in development, telling fans: "I love you and all I want to do is continue to try to make you proud and make myself proud."
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic fluctuations in mood, energy, and concentration, ranging from manic episodes characterized by elevated or irritable states to depressive episodes marked by sadness and hopelessness. The condition often goes undiagnosed or untreated due to stigma and the challenges of accepting medication.
Lil Nas X, born Montero Lamar Hill, rose to international prominence with "Old Town Road" in 2018, a genre-defying track that merged country and hip-hop influences. The song spent a record-breaking 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards. His 2021 debut studio album "Montero" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart and earned a Grammy nomination for album of the year. Other hits include "Industry Baby" and "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)."
Author James Rodriguez: "This is a rare moment where a major artist chooses transparency over image management, and it matters in an industry that usually buries these stories."
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