Honestly, trying to pin down exactly who Lil Nas X is dating at any given moment is a bit like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. One day he’s posting a wedding dress on Instagram to troll the internet, and the next, he’s caught in a candid paparazzi shot that actually looks… real?
The rapper, born Montero Lamar Hill, has built a career on being an open book—well, a book with a lot of trick pages. Since 2019, when he famously came out on the last day of Pride Month by pointing to the rainbow building on his album art, fans have been obsessed with finding the "Industry Baby" singer’s real-life "Montero."
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The Cody Jon Chapter: Is It Real?
Right now, everyone is talking about Cody Jon. If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or X lately, you’ve probably seen the photos. In late 2024, the two were spotted wandering through Studio City in Los Angeles, looking suspiciously comfortable.
Nas didn't just walk next to him; he leaned in for a very public kiss on the cheek.
Who is he? Cody Jon is an Australian musician known for a "temporal mish-mash" sound—think 90s boy bands mixed with modern bedroom pop. They first set the rumor mill on fire after attending an Adele concert together in Las Vegas. There’s a viral clip of Adele walking past them in the front row where she seemingly doesn't recognize Nas, but Cody is right there, glued to his side.
Neither of them has posted a "we're official" Instagram carousel yet.
Some fans think it’s just a "situationship" or maybe a clever way to tease a collaboration. Given Nas’s history of using his personal life to fuel his art (like the "Need Dat Boy" era), the skepticism is fair. But the body language in those LA photos—Nas swinging around a pole while Cody grins—felt less like a PR stunt and more like two people actually enjoying a Saturday afternoon.
Why Yai Ariza Still Matters
You can't talk about a lil nas x partner without bringing up Yai Ariza. For many fans, Yai was "the one."
They met around the time Nas was prepping for his Saturday Night Live performance in May 2021. Yai was a backup dancer, the one who famously licked Nas’s neck during that set. It wasn't just for show. Nas later told Andy Cohen on Radio Andy that Yai was "the best person I have ever dated."
- The Breakup: It happened in late 2021.
- The Reason: Nas admitted he wanted to focus on his music and felt he couldn't give a relationship the "responsibility" it deserved.
- The Aftermath: They stayed on great terms. Nas even went on Maury for a parody segment involving Yai, which showed just how much they still liked working together.
Even in 2026, people still bring up Yai because the chemistry was so effortless. Nas has a habit of disappearing for a week to focus on himself, a trait he admitted to GQ. That kind of "lone wolf" energy makes it hard for any partner to stick long-term.
The Mystery of the "Famous" Rule
There was a period in 2023 and 2024 where Nas explicitly said he was done dating famous people. He even claimed to have deleted Raya, the elite dating app for celebrities. He wanted something "genuine," something that happened in person rather than through a screen.
Then came the "Christian era" and some legal hiccups in 2025. Through it all, his dating life stayed relatively quiet until the Cody Jon sightings.
It’s a weird contradiction. He’s one of the most visible Black gay men in the world, yet the actual details of his private life are surprisingly guarded. He’ll show you a prosthetic "pregnancy" belly to promote an album, but he won't tell you who he’s texting at 2 AM.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That every man seen with Nas is a "boyfriend."
Nas is a master of the "blue moon" kiss. He told SiriusXM that sometimes he just wants to "kiss a guy every blue moon" without it being a whole thing. He values his autonomy. In 2025, he was seen leaning into a more spiritual, "Christian era," which led many to wonder if he was stepping back from the dating scene entirely.
But then, the Los Angeles street photos happened.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Followers
If you’re trying to keep up with the latest on his relationship status, here is how to separate the trolling from the truth:
- Watch the Paparazzi, Not the Grid: Nas uses his own social media for marketing. If he posts a photo of a "boyfriend," it’s probably a music video co-star. If a random photographer catches him shopping in Studio City, that's usually the real deal.
- Check the Credits: Many of his romantic interests start as creative collaborators. From Yai Ariza to potentially Cody Jon, work and play often overlap in the Montero universe.
- Listen to the Lyrics: Songs like "That's What I Want" aren't just pop hits; they are literal manifestations of his desire for a partner who can handle his chaotic schedule.
While we wait for a formal confirmation on Cody Jon, it's clear that Lil Nas X is finally moving past his "single and focusing on music" phase. Whether this is a long-term commitment or a fleeting West Coast romance, he’s clearly not hiding his affection anymore.