On a November night in 2021, in Hollywood, A$AP Rocky and an old friend got into an argument around 10:15 p.m. After the rise of the hip-hop collective of which they were both a part in the 2010s, the Harlem rapper had become a leading figure in international fashion. A$AP Relli he had met Rocky in high school and, although he never achieved the same level of fame, remained in his orbit. The argument, as witnessed by Relli in 2023, had to do with an argument over Rocky’s promise to cover the costs of repatriating the body of a recently deceased mutual friend to New York.
According to Relli’s testimony, things started to take a turn for the worse when Rocky pulled out a gun, then fired three or four shots, one of which grazed Relli’s knuckles. Video from surveillance cameras at the scene shows the two men arguing and grabbing each other, but the shooting is not clearly seen. Rocky was charged with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, to which he has pleaded not guilty. More than three years after the fight, his trial begins Tuesday with the selection of jurors.
If convicted on all charges, Rocky faces up to 24 years in prison; in recent years, however, the alleged shooting has not significantly dented his public profile. He is Rihanna They have two young children, and their relationship (a fixture of tabloid and fashion photographs) has enhanced his reputation even as his music career has declined. Last January, the couple met with the French president Emmanuel Macron during Paris Fashion Week, while Rocky will be one of the four co-chair to do the honors at the Met Gala in May.
The rapper’s proximity to one of the biggest pop stars of the century has already provided some material in the “celebrity-judicial” crossover genre. Last week, during a preliminary hearing, as reported by the judicial journalist Meghann Cuniffthe judge handling the case asked Joe TacopinaRocky’s lawyer, whether he and Rihanna were “legally married.”
The prevailing tabloid opinion is that they are not. Although he said he didn’t know, Tacopina called Rihanna Rocky’s “live-in partner”, and the prosecution insisted that the term “wife” can only be used if the two are legally married. The judge said he will decide Tuesday whether to refer to Rihanna as Rocky’s “wife” or “partner.”
Tacopina, who is a frequent guest on cable news and has a long list of celebrity clients, has a habit of sharing his workouts on Instagram, which has made him a somewhat menacing figure in the courtroom, especially for his preference for suits that struggle to stay buttoned. In 2023, Tacopina represented Donald Trump in the civil case that E. Jean Carroll filed against him (Trump was found guilty of sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 and subsequently defaming her).
Speaking to reporters last week, Tacopina he said that Rocky and Rihanna were eager to put the issue behind them. According to Tacopina, Relli allegedly claimed that the shooting occurred because he wanted money from Rocky (Relli’s lawyers contacted for comment, Ben Chew And Camille Vasquezthey said: «We refer you to the complaints presented in civil cases». Relli is suing Rocky and Tacopina for defamation, which they deny.) When asked if Rihanna will be present at the trial, Tacopina replied that Rocky “is very protective of Rihanna and absolutely doesn’t want her to attend.” However, he added, it is “a family decision that they will have to make.”
The trial is expected to last three weeks.
Source: Vanity Fair

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