Lil Nas X’s recent arrest has brought his father into the conversation, as Robert Stafford shared that fame and pressure may have fueled the troubling incident. Speaking with The Times of London, Stafford explained that the music industry can create an addictive cycle. “I understand how the music business is,” he said. “It’s like a high. When you get to that level, you want that drug again, you want to hit that high again.”
The 26-year-old rapper, born Montero Lamar Hill, was arrested on August 21st after police found him walking unclothed on the streets of Los Angeles wearing only cowboy boots. Officers reported that when they approached, he “charged at officers and was taken into custody.” He was transported to a hospital for a suspected overdose before being booked into jail. Lil Nas X has pleaded not guilty to three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. He spent the weekend in custody before being released on a $75,000 bond with a requirement to attend drug treatment. Conviction could bring up to five years behind bars.
Stafford said his son carries the burden of trying to maintain success after “Old Town Road” while also taking care of loved ones. He pointed to the ongoing struggles of Lil Nas X’s mother, Tameka Hill. “For a 26-year-old to have to deal with what he’s dealing with, to be a breadwinner for a lot of people, the inability to change his mother’s situation and the pressure he puts on himself,” he explained.
During a jail visit, Stafford broke down in tears. “We shed tears with each other for a minute,” he recalled. He believes the arrest could mark a turning point. “Sometimes God will take you through your worst moment to give you your best moment.”
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