Lil Nas X Hospitalized with Partial Facial Paralysis

Image via Lil Nas X / Instagram

Lil Nas X is recovering after revealing he’s experiencing partial paralysis on one side of his face.

The 26-year-old artist, born Montero Lamar Hill, shared a series of videos from his hospital bed on Instagram, telling fans he had "lost control" of the right side of his face. “This is me doing a full smile right now,” he said in one clip, attempting to grin. “Bro, I can't even laugh right.”

Despite the concerning news, the rapper kept his sense of humor intact. “Shake ur ass for me instead!” he joked in a follow-up post, reassuring fans that he’s doing okay. “I'mma look funny for a lil bit but that’s it,” he added.

Friends and fans rushed to the comments to send love and support. Actress Taraji P. Henson wrote, “Get well baby,” while singer Shirley Manson and comedian Wanda Sykes offered words of encouragement and urged him to rest.

Lil Nas X did not confirm a diagnosis, but fans speculated the symptoms could be linked to either Bell’s Palsy or Ramsay Hunt Syndrome — both conditions that typically cause temporary facial paralysis and are often stress-induced or triggered by infections. Similar conditions affected Justin Bieber and Tulisa Contostavlos in recent years.

The incident comes just as Lil Nas X was ramping up promotion for his latest project, Days Before Dreamboy, an eight-track EP that previews his follow-up to Montero. Speaking recently to Atlanta’s Hot 107.9, the rapper described 2024 as a year of creative struggle, revealing he had been trying to please everyone but himself.

“I feel like I was very lost,” he said. “But it’s like, no, sometimes I can just be on my chill [side].”

He also made headlines last month after revealing that he turned down a collaboration opportunity with Taylor Swift, explaining that he “couldn’t catch a vibe for it.”