Today (January 29), Rihanna is supporting A$AP Rocky alongside his family in the courtroom. He’s on trial in Los Angeles. RiRi pulled up just one day after Relli testified, standing on his claims that Rocky shot at him.
Prosecutors are trying to prove Rocky — real name Rakim Mayers — fired at Relli at least three or four times near a Hollywood hotel on November 6, 2021. Rocky’s charges include two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. If a jury convicts him, A$AP could spend up to 24 years in prison. Still, the 36-year-old has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney says he didn’t commit any crime, per the Associated Press.
Keep reading for a breakdown of what happened so far: updates about Rihanna and Rocky’s family at trial, what A$AP Relli said to “snitch” questions, and prosecutors’ evidence against Rocky.
Judge Previously Approved Of Rihanna Attending Her Man’s Trial
At a hearing last October, Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold asked A$AP Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, if Rihanna would attend the trial. He couldn’t answer in the courtroom. But Judge Arnold assured the defense, “She’s welcome to be here whenever she wants. I’d just like to know.”
After the hearing, Tacopina told the press it was a “family decision [Rihanna and Rocky would] make.” His defense added, “He’s very protective of Rihanna and doesn’t want her anywhere near this proceeding.”
Months later, Rihanna is reportedly sitting between his mother and sister in the gallery, per independent court reporter Meghann Cuniff. In additional X (formerly Twitter) posts, Cuniff said Rihanna was wearing an all-black ‘fit, including a turtleneck and glasses, with her hair down. AP adds that security brought Rih inside through another entrance to avoid the crowds outside.
There will likely be no photos of the pop star, though. Additionally, no reports mention their children, RZA and Riot Rose, being at the trial. According to Meghan Cuniff, Rih came protected, too! She reportedly had her personal security and two additional sheriff’s deputies standing by her bench.
Relli Said THIS To A Reporter Calling Him A Rocky “Snitch”
On Tuesday, Relli testified about Rocky pointing a black semiautomatic gun with a clip and their verbal exchange. He claimed that the rapper was “livid” and threatened to kill him “right now.” Meanwhile, Rocky’s lawyers argued that the gun mentioned was a prop fired to break up a fight between Relli and another friend. A$AP Relli denied that he’s ever seen the rapper carry a prop gun or any gun at all.
Watch a portion of his testimony below.
After leaving the courtroom, a photographer in the media swarm asked Relli how he felt about being labeled a snitch.
“Would you be a snitch if somebody shot at you,” Relli clapped back while walking to his car.
Relli turned the question back on him, and the reporter said he wouldn’t have snitched. The answer seemed to agitate the alleged trial victim ’cause he snapped back, “I mean that’s you, look where you at now, though. Look where you at now.”
Before hopping in his black truck, Relli seemed to dub a media personnel who asked whether he was still cool with other A$AP members.
Meanwhile, Rocky’s exit was a bit more swift amid the media storm. Nobody got an answer to their question, but hi security boss reportedly said, “Appreciate y’all.”
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Jan. 29: Updates On Relli’s Testimony
AP reports that Rihanna walked inside the courtroom on Wednesday as Relli recalled Rocky allegedly firing at him. He claimed the alleged bullet grazed him but also admitted his clothes didn’t have any holes.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, reporter Cuniff also highlighted the prosecution’s presentation of text messages between Rocky and Relli.
The Evidence Prosecutors Have Against Rocky
The case against Rocky will largely depend on how credible the jurors find A$AP Relli. Police officers who searched the Hollywood sidewalk after a report of shots fired found no shell casings. Police recovered no fingerprints from the 9 mm casings Relli brought them, and no 9 mm pistol was found when a search warrant was served on Rocky.
Surveillance video captured parts of the incident. Prosecutors at the 2023 hearing showed a video still with a man in a hooded sweatshirt whose face is not visible holding what appears to be a gun, along with another image showing the face of the man in the sweatshirt, with no gun visible. A detective testified that investigators established it was Rocky.
Last week, Tacopina said he has not decided whether Rocky will testify, which he is legally allowed to avoid.
Can Trump Help Rocky Or Nah?
The trial began the day after the second inauguration of Trump, whom Tacopina represented in the defamation and sexual abuse lawsuit of writer E. Jean Carroll. Rocky himself became an unlikely cause celebre for then-President Trump during his first term. At the time, Trump publicly declared he was trying to get the rapper freed and returned to the U.S. when he was jailed after a brawl in Sweden in 2019. But Trump has no power over these proceedings, and could not pardon Rocky if he’s convicted.
