Lil Nas X’s Father Opens Up About Visiting the Singer in Jail: ‘We Shed Tears’

Lil Nas X’s father is sharing his emotional reaction at seeing the “Old Town Road” singer in jail.

Robert Stafford, 56, said that he “shed tears” while visiting the 26-year-old singer, born Montero Hill, in jail following his Aug. 21 arrest as he discussed his son’s recent legal troubles in a new interview.

“I went to visit him in jail and as soon as I walked through that door, I couldn’t do anything but cry,” Stafford told The Sunday Times. “To see my baby boy on the other side of that glass. We shed tears with each other for a minute.”

The worried father hopped on a plane to Los Angeles from his home in Atlanta to comfort his son, telling him that “what you’re going through is normal,” he shared with the outlet. 

Stafford acknowledged the extra difficulty his son had in dealing with his arrest in the spotlight. “We all have breakdowns every now and then, but the difference is, yours get played out in the public eye,” he recalled saying to him.

Lil Nas X was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor on accusations of assaulting a police officer in Los Angeles on Aug. 21. His arrest comes after he was caught on video earlier that day walking outside in his underwear and was later hospitalized for a reported possible overdose.

“When I went to visit, he asked me to say, ‘Tell everybody I’m sorry they saw me like that.’ ” Stafford told The Sunday Times. “Even in that moment, he was apologizing to people for something he was going through.”

On Aug. 25, Lil Nas X was released from jail after pleading not guilty to four felony charges. The singer has a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 15 and if convicted, faces up to five years in state prison.

Stafford said that he believes that his son’s troubles stem from “the pressure he puts on himself” as the breadwinner to his family and many others, and his “inability to change” his mother’s alleged addiction problems, he told The Sunday Times.

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Following his son’s release from jail. Stafford hopes that his son will recover and make positive personal changes moving forward.

“Hopefully, this is a turning point in his mental stability. Sometimes God will take you through your worst moment to give you your best moment,” he added.

Lil Nas X broke his silence over his arrest and charges on his Instagram Stories on Aug. 26.

“Your girl is gonna be okay, boo. Okay? S—’s gonna be alright,” he said in the video. “… That was f—ing terrifying … a terrifying last four days. But your girl is gonna be alright.”