A$AP Rocky has walked free after being found not guilty in his Hollywood shooting trial. The Los Angeles jury delivered its verdict after nearly a month in court, clearing the rapper of all charges related to a 2021 altercation.
The case centred on allegations that Rocky—real name Rakim Mayers—fired a gun at his former friend A$AP Relli. Prosecutors claimed he aimed a 9mm semiautomatic pistol at Relli and pulled the trigger, but the jury wasn’t convinced. When the not guilty verdict was read, the courtroom erupted in cheers. Rocky then immediately turned to hug Rihanna before addressing the jury, telling them, “Thank y’all for saving my life, you’re making the right decision.”
Prosecutors argued that Rocky had fired multiple shots during a dispute in Hollywood, trying to frame it as an intentional act. Relli claimed he found two shell casings at the scene—conveniently, after police searches had come up empty. Rocky’s defence team tore the argument apart, countering that he had only fired two warning shots to break up a fight between Relli and fellow A$AP Mob member A$AP Illz. His lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, argued that the weapon wasn’t even real. That it was in fact, a “prop gun” from a music video shoot with Rihanna.
The trial took a turn when Relli admitted to being at a shooting range just two weeks before the incident. That revelation gave Rocky’s team the ammunition they needed to claim the shell casings had been planted, throwing the prosecution’s case into serious doubt.
Rihanna, who wasn’t called to testify, was present at several court dates in support of Rocky. The pair have been together since 2020 and share two children. Now that Rocky’s walked away from what could have been a career-ending sentence, the bigger question is whether this trial will leave any lasting damage. Or whether he will turn the whole thing into another chapter in his story.
