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By Erin Keller
Reporter (Live News)
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A$AP Rocky's felony assault trial in Los Angeles is finally slated to begin this week, nearly four years after he allegedly fired shots at his former friend A$AP Relli.
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Who Is A$AP Rocky?
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer from Harlem. He is a founding member of the hip-hop collective A$AP Mob, which also includes other prominent artists like A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, and of course A$AP Relli.
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A$AP Rocky, 36, gained widespread recognition with his 2011 mixtape Live. Love. ASAP, which led to his signing with RCA Records. His fourth studio album, Don't Be Dumb, is expected to be released this year.
The "F–kin' Problem" rapper is also known for his fashion sense and collaborations with high-profile designers and brands.
Why Is A$AP Rocky on Trial?
A$AP Rocky is facing two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm for allegedly firing shots at A$AP Relli in November 2021.
If convicted on all charges, A$AP Rocky could get up to 24 years in prison. He has pleaded not guilty and is not interested in taking a plea deal, his attorney Joe Tacopina said in court on January 15.
Tacopina, the high-profile attorney once hired by Donald Trump in his hush money trial, said A$AP Rocky is "confident" he will be acquitted due to alleged evidence on his side in this case.
"There's a reason that 10 police officers searched and didn't find shell casings there," Tacopina said of the alleged crime scene. "[It's] not because they were blind or drunk or because they didn't want to find it. It's because they did a thorough job."
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When Does A$AP Rocky's Trial Begin?
Jury selection for A$AP Rocky's felony assault case starts on January 21. A$AP Rocky has been ordered to appear in person for the entire trial.
The trial has been plagued with delays, most recently in November to allow A$AP Rocky to headline the Rolling Loud music festival in Thailand.
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Who Is A$AP Relli?
A$AP Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, is A$AP Rocky's former friend and collaborator. Both men are members of the A$AP collective.
Camille Vasquez, the attorney who attracted worldwide fame for representing Johnny Depp in his defamation case against Amber Heard, is representing A$AP Relli in this case.
A$AP Relli previously testified that A$AP Rocky pointed a gun at his stomach in the alleged 2021 shooting and threatened to kill him.
A$AP Relli said his former friend fired at least four rounds, one of which may have hit his hand. A$AP Relli reported the incident the next day after a warrant for A$AP Rocky's arrest was issued.
Surveillance footage shown by prosecutors appeared to show A$AP Rocky with a gun and possibly firing it, though his lawyers denied it. Detective Frank Flores confirmed the footage showed a gun in A$AP Rocky's hand, but acknowledged that the weapon was never recovered. Two 9mm shell casings were later found by A$AP Relli at the scene and returned to the police.
How Many Kids Does ASAP Rocky Have?
A$AP Rocky shares sons RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, with his longtime girlfriend Rihanna.
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Are Rihanna and ASAP Rocky Married?
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, who have been dating since about 2020 after years of friendship, have never publicly stated that they are married, but this question did arise in court on January 15.
At a pretrial hearing, there was discussion on whether the court should refer to Rihanna as A$AP Rocky's "wife," "common-law wife," or "significant other."
His lawyer Tacopina told the judge that he didn't know if the couple was legally married.
"If they are legally married anywhere, she will be his wife. If they are not legally married anywhere, she is his significant other," Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark S. Arnold said.
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