Lil Nas X walked out of a Van Nuys courthouse Monday looking, by all accounts, like a man who understood exactly how close the edge was. "It could have been much worse," he told reporters. Then he added: "I'm here, baby."

A Los Angeles judge granted the Grammy-winning rapper, born Montero Hill, 26, entry into a mental health diversion program that puts his felony police battery case on the path to full dismissal, per Rolling Stone. Judge Alan Schneider found that Hill's conduct during his August 2025 arrest was "aberrant from his normal conduct" and directly linked to his bipolar disorder diagnosis. If Hill completes the two-year program, obeys all laws, and stays away from weapons and threats of violence, the four felony charges against him will be dropped entirely.

The case stems from an August 2025 incident in which LAPD officers were called to Ventura Boulevard in Studio City around 5:30 a.m. after reports of a nearly naked man walking down the street. Hill was arrested wearing only underwear and cowboy boots. Authorities allege he charged at officers and punched one in the face, resulting in three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Hill pleaded not guilty to all four charges.

Following his arrest, Hill voluntarily sought treatment at the Meadows, a treatment center in Arizona, where he completed nearly two months of inpatient care. He now has weekly therapy sessions and quarterly psychiatric appointments as part of his ongoing care. His defense attorney, Christy O'Connor, presented this evidence to the court, arguing the incident was entirely out of character.

Shortly after his arrest last summer, Hill had posted a video to Instagram in which he spoke directly to fans. "Your girl is gonna be okay, y'all," he said, laughing through what he called a "terrifying" four days. "That was terrifying. But your girl is gonna be all right." Monday's outcome suggests he was right.

The court set a progress report hearing for July 29. Hill will not need to appear in person. Leaving the courthouse, he told reporters he loved his fans, missed them, and couldn't wait to hug them again. "I really appreciate your support so much," he said.