Culture

“It’s much better”: Lil Nas X shares health update after suffering facial paralysis

By Jordan Robledo

16th April 2025

Lil Nas X has shared a new health update following his scary medical emergency.

On 14 April, the ‘HOTBOX’ singer uploaded a video to his Instagram revealing that he lost control of the right side of his face and was in the hospital.

“When I smile… this is me doing a full smile, by the way, it’s like what the f**k,” the young talent explained while lying down in a hospital bed. “Bruh, I can’t even laugh, right. Bro, what the f**k. Oh my god.”

Naturally, Lil Nas X’s post sparked worried reactions from fans, with one person commenting: “I really hope this is just temporary and stress-related… sending all the positive and healing vibes!”

Another fan on BlueSky wrote: “This happened to a friend of mine when he was in his 20s. It was Bells Palsy.”

While the ‘DREAMBOY’ rapper has remained mum on his exact condition, he recently returned to social media to assure fans that he’s doing okay in a series of Instagram Stories.

“Guys, I am ok!! Stop being sad for me! Shake ur ass for me instead,” he wrote in one post. In another, Lil Nas X wrote that he would “look funny for a lil bit, but that’s it,” alongside two crying emojis.

The Grammy winner also shared a video showcasing his facial improvement.

 

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A post shared by ☆dreamboy. (@lilnasx)

“Okay, so I’ve been chewing a lot so I can get this muscle stronger. It’s much better. It’s much better,” he explained.

“My eye still has to play catch up, but I can give a genuine smile, so that’s good. I’m still winking at mothaf**kers, but yeah.”

In a final Instagram Story addressing the situation, the 26-year-old talent exclaimed that nothing could ruin his “dreamboy summer”.

Lil Nas X’s recent medical incident comes a month after he officially kicked off his new music era with the release of his latest EP, Days Before Dreamboy.

Positioned as a precursor for his upcoming sophomore studio album DREAMBOY, the project includes all of his recently released singles, including ‘HOTBOX,’ ‘LIGHT AGAIN!’, ‘need dat boy,’ ‘RIGHT THERE!’ and ‘LEAN ON MY BODY.’

In a recent interview with PAPER Magazine, Lil Nas X opened up about his new music era and what he plans to bring to the table.

“I wanted to be void of darkness. I wanted to be full of light and full of joy. I hated feeling like I was cookie-cutter all the time, but if I’m honest, that’s my personality,” he explained.

“At my core, I’m a bubbly, fun bitch. I wanted to express that in this era.” 

The ‘SWISH’ artist also teased what fans can expect from the DREAMBOY LP, describing it as a collection of “everything and anything I’ve ever loved or hated”.

“The DREAMBOY era isn’t just an album. It’s me spanning across multiple genres, multiple periods of my life, different stories,” he said.

“Some lyrics are super deep and intimate, and some are like, ‘I don’t give a f**k. Let’s f**king party and suck dick.’ DREAMBOY is a collection of everything and anything I’ve ever loved or hated.

“It’s just me going out there and doing me in whichever form I feel. I’ll say that much.”

We hope Lil Nas X has a speedy recovery.