Updated on Tuesday, January 9 at 2p.m.PT: On Monday, rapper A$AP Rocky officially pleaded not guilty on two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm with allegations of personally using a firearm.
The charges stem from the 2021 alleged shooting of his former friend and former A$AP Mob member A$AP Relli. During his trial appearance, Rocky’s lawyer said the “Fashion Killa” rapper was “cool as a cucumber,” per People and mentioned that he was ready for this legal matter to be “over with so he can start enjoying his family.”
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He’s due back in court on March 6.
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While things may appear peachy keen for rapper A$AP Rocky, given his recently released (and pretty fly) ad for Fenty Skin and consistent doting dad musings from his girlfriend Rihanna, the “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)” rapper will have to deal with some looming legal troubles soon.
As previously reported by The Root, over the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Rocky was officially ordered to stand trial for the 2021 shooting of his former friend and former A$AP Mob member A$AP Relli. Per a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, the decision was made due to “the totality of the video and testimony” which “showed sufficient enough evidence. “The judge also emphasized that preliminary hearings have a “much lower evidence standard than a trial and she was only finding probable cause.”
The upcoming trial, while presumably devastating to Rocky given the fact that he and Rih welcomed their second child Riot Rose just a few months prior, is reportedly also taking a toll on the ANTI singer herself. Per US Weekly, a source close to Rih said that the Barbadian Bad Gal is “focusing on remaining calm” as the trial approaches.
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“She knows the whole situation is out of her hands, and all she can do is be there to show support for Rocky. Although this is a stressful time, she’s been strong for the whole family and is holding it all together for the sake of her children and for Rocky.”
Whether or not the ramifications of Rocky’s trial will have a ripple effect on Rih’s sprawling business empire remains to be seen, but if it does, it’ll be interesting to see if and how far it spreads. Rocky currently faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm with allegations of personally using a firearm. He has pled not guilty to all charges.
Additionally, the “L$D” rapper is also facing a defamation lawsuit brought against him by Relli as well, who both Rocky and his lawyer Joe Tacopina, Relli is alleging that the lawyer “went on a press campaign” after the alleged shooting back in 2021 and defamed his name while doing so. Relli also claims that Tacopina made him out to look like “a liar, a money grabber, and an extortionist” at the direction of Rocky and that their actions have caused him to receive death threats and be ridiculed. He’s seeking unspecified damages.
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