A$AP Rocky Faces Trial as Rihanna Supports Him in Court

Rapper A$AP Rocky appeared in court in Los Angeles as he faces felony assault charges related to an alleged shooting of his childhood friend A$AP Relli. His partner, billionaire pop star and business mogul Rihanna, accompanied him for the first time, sitting beside his mother.

A$AP Relli, whose real name is Terell Ephron, testified that he met A$AP Rocky outside a Los Angeles hotel in November 2021. He claimed that Rocky pulled out a gun, pointed it downward, and fired, grazing his left hand.

Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, argued that his client had a prop gun from a music video set that could not fire real bullets. He also claimed that Relli fabricated his accusations out of jealousy and financial motives. Prosecutors presented surveillance footage showing Rocky drawing a gun and a separate clip with sounds resembling gunshots, but neither directly captured the alleged shooting.

Rocky declined a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one felony assault charge in exchange for 180 days in jail. Without the deal, he faces up to 24 years in prison if convicted. He was arrested in April 2022 upon returning from a trip with Rihanna to her home country of Barbados. Authorities claimed he fired a handgun at Relli, who suffered minor injuries and sought medical help.

A judge ruled in November 2023 that there was enough evidence for Rocky to stand trial. Initially set for October, the trial was pushed to January.

A$AP Relli and A$AP Rocky were high school friends and members of the A$AP Mob collective. Relli testified that their relationship soured after Rocky rose to fame. He claimed Rocky insulted him over the phone and later agreed to meet in person, which Relli believed was for reconciliation. Instead, he alleged that Rocky grabbed him aggressively before pulling a gun. He also stated that he followed Rocky down the street, shouting, before Rocky turned and fired.

Rihanna’s presence in court was mentioned multiple times during jury selection. Prosecutors asked jurors whether her fame would impact their ability to make a fair decision. Some potential jurors admitted they were fans, but stated it wouldn’t affect their judgment.

A$AP Rocky has faced legal troubles before. In 2019, he was convicted of assault in Sweden after an altercation that caught the attention of then-President Donald Trump. Rocky spent over a month in detention but wasn’t required to serve additional jail time after the verdict. Trump publicly advocated for his release, tweeting, “A$AP Rocky released from prison and on his way home to the United States from Sweden. It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!”