Lil Nas X has shared the heartbreaking news that his mother, Tameka Hill, has died, revealing the loss while he is still navigating his own path through treatment and recovery.
The 27-year-old rapper and pop star, who recently told fans he had spent time in rehab, posted an emotional tribute to his mother on Instagram Saturday.
‘RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER MOMMY,’ the two-time Grammy winner wrote in his post. ‘This one’s gonna hurt.’
Alongside the message, Lil Nas X shared three nostalgic photos: one throwback image of Hill dressed in a bold two-piece outfit while holding a bottle, another showing the musician posing with his mom as they both wore sunglasses, and a childhood photo of him with Hill and one of his siblings.
A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. In the past, however, Lil Nas X has spoken publicly about his mother’s battle with addiction.
The “Old Town Road” hitmaker has previously described having a complicated and often painful relationship with Hill, largely because of her long-running struggles with substance abuse. He has said in earlier interviews that he attempted to help her enter rehab, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Lil Nas X announced the death of his mother, Tameka Hill, in an Instagram post Saturday as he continues focusing on treatment and recovery
‘RIP TO THE BADDEST EVER! LOVE U FOREVER MOMMY,’ the two-time Grammy Award winner wrote with a series of throwback family photos
‘I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship,’ Lil Nas X told Variety in January 2020. ‘Even trying to get her better – things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love.’
The news comes just days after the That’s What I Want chart-topper shared a video update on social media confirming he had spent a few months in rehab.
‘I’ve been in rehab for a few months,’ he said in a video posted to his social media. ‘And since then I’ve been back at home – whether it’s in Atlanta with my family or in Los Angeles with myself and friends and whatnot – and trying to ground myself down to earth and get out of my head.’
Back in August 2025, Lil Nas X – whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill – was arrested after a public mental health crisis in Los Angeles, which led to his inpatient rehab stay, a bipolar disorder diagnosis and a court-supervised treatment plan.
Lil Gas X added: ‘I have a therapist now and a psychiatrist, which has been really helpful. When I got my bipolar disorder diagnosis, I feel like I had known for the past few years, but I didn’t wanna admit to it, ’cause I didn’t wanna have to take medication and have people think different of me.
‘I’m already black and gay. Like, damn, God, gimme like…come on, black, gay, bipolar? I’m living life on extreme hard mode,’ he said with a laugh.
But he assured fans he was ‘doing much better’ and ‘smelling the roses.’
He revealed at the time that he was working on ‘new music’ while thanking his fanbase – the ‘Montourage’ – for their loyalty.
Lil Nas X had a strained relationship with his mom, mainly due to her long-time struggle with substance addiction. Above, a childhood photo of him and his mom with one of his several siblings
The news of his mother’s death comes just days after the That’s What I Want chart-topper shared a video update on social media confirming he had spent a few months in rehab
‘Tomorrow is my 10,000th day alive and I made it. A lot of you won’t make it, but I made it,’ the two-time Grammy Award winner said in his earlier post
At another point in the video, he joked that he didn’t really know what to post because of how his fans would react, despite their ongoing support.
‘Ever since I got out of rehab, everyone’s like “OD” nice to me,’ he shared.
‘I could be like “hey” and everyone’s like “oh he’s so brave”. I can try to post a thirst trap on my Instagram story and everyone’s going to be like “keep fighting king”.
He also shared a video of himself holding a cake that said: ‘10,000th day.’
‘Tomorrow is my 10,000th day alive and I made it. A lot of you won’t make it, but I made it.’
The rapper’s August 2025 arrest happened after he was found wandering down Los Angeles’ Ventura Boulevard clad in nothing but his underpants and a pair of cowboy boots.
According to prosecutors, his encounter with police turned chaotic, with Lil Nas X accused of using ‘force and violence [to] inflict an injury’ on three police officers during the incident.
The incident took a darker turn when he was rushed to the hospital due to fears he may have overdosed.
The rapper avoided a potential five-year prison sentence following his August 2025 arrest after police spotted him wandering down Los Angeles’ Ventura Boulevard wearing nothing but his underwear and cowboy boots. Above, Lil Nas X arriving at court in Los Angeles on March 12
The rapper, meanwhile, denied the claims and pleaded not guilty to the charges, including battery on an officer and resisting arrest.
In March, Lil Nas X was pictured arriving to court smiling and looking healthier in a three-piece gray suit.
Judge Alan Schneider eventually took mercy on him, ruling in April that the Old Town Road hitmaker could undergo treatment rather than spending time behind bars.
The judge told the court the August 2025 drama was ‘aberrant from his normal conduct,’ linking it to the rapper’s bipolar disorder diagnosis.
