A$AP Rocky Kept His Words Minimal As He Entered His Plea To Assault Charges
By Afouda Bamidele on August 19, 2022 at 1:30 PM EDT
A$AP Rocky is not going down without a fight!
The "Good for You" rapper landed in legal hot waters after reportedly assaulting a former friend with a gun in November 2021. He was later charged with two counts of assault with a handgun with allegations of personally using a firearm. Rocky appeared in a Los Angeles court earlier this week to enter his pleas.
A$AP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty To Firearm Charges
Rocky whose real name Rakim Athelaston Mayers, appeared somber as he made his court appearance and pleaded not guilty to the two counts on Wednesday, August 17. According to Independent UK, the rapper, who welcomed his first child with Rihanna on May 19, only spoke to confirm his name and accept his rights.
The "Dope" actor wore a dark suit, a pair of sunglasses, and a black face mask for the event. Trouble found the 33-year-old after he allegedly pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the victim, later identified as rapper ASAP Relli. Rocky then allegedly fired the weapon in Relli's direction in a subsequent confrontation. Although Relli is Rocky's former friend, it was not until August 15 that he filed charges against the offender.
In legal documents obtained by media outlets, Relli's lawyers said the "Fashion Killa" rapper's behavior had been "extreme and outrageous," causing their client, real name Terell Ephron, to suffer "extreme emotional distress." The documents read:
"Defendant (Mayers) purposefully or with reckless disregard unlawfully brandished a firearm towards the plaintiff (Ephron). Further, the defendant purposefully or with reckless disregard caused a bullet projectile/fragment to hit the plaintiff."
In a separate press release acquired by The Blast from the Los Angeles County District Attorney, George Gascón, addressed Rocky's legal problems, stating:
"Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood. My office conducted a thorough review of the evidence in this case and determined that the addition of a special firearm allegation was warranted."
Relli has demanded $25k over the incident, plus additional damages to cover his medical bills.
The "Wild for the Night" Wants To Raise Open-Minded Kids
Rocky opened up about the type of father he wanted to be during an interview in May. Per The Blast, the rapper said he wanted to be a father who would always remind his kids to hold on to their imagination, "even as adults, no matter what." His reason for wanting that was because he still loved watching cartoons like "Teletubbies," "Yo Gabba Gabba," "Blue's Clues," "Peppa Pig," and "Baby Shark" even in his 30s.
The "Comedy Bang! Bang!" star added that he wanted to raise "open-minded children" and not prevent them from growing into "people who discriminate." The "Praise the Lord" rapper said, "And I'm not trying to describe a saint, but realistically, I just want a cool child with cool parents."
Even though he and Rihanna welcomed their baby three months ago, the couple has successfully kept the tot's name to themselves. Except for the occasional outings, the couple has kept a low profile since their patter of little feet arrived, choosing to spend some quality — and private — time with their baby instead.
A source close to Rocky and Rihanna divulged that they are also handling their transition into their new roles as parents well. The person stated that they, especially Rihanna, are in no rush to get back to work and leave their baby boy. The insider disclosed that the "Work" singer barely left her son's side, and she particularly enjoyed chilling with him in her Los Angeles yard. In the source's words:
"She [Rihanna] wanted to give birth in L.A. since she has a big house with a yard. She enjoys sitting outside with her baby and particularly enjoys their quiet moments together."
The update did not surprise anybody as it was evident to all and sundry that Rihanna enjoyed every minute of her pregnancy. The Barbadian singer and businesswoman was often seen at events showing off her baby bump in clothes that left nothing to the imagination.
Just before she became a mother, Rihanna got tongues wagging when she appeared in her beau's "D.M.B" video as his bride. Fans are still unsure whether the pair got married for real or staged it for the video.
