A$AP Rocky Found Not Guilty In Shooting Case

The courtroom erupted in cheers when the much-anticipated verdict on A$AP Rocky’s felony charges were read out loud on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was found not guilty by a Los Angeles jury on two felony assault charges that carried a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison.

When the first not-guilty verdict was read, the “fashion killa” artist was so overcome with emotion that he rushed to Rihanna, his lover and the mother of his children, hugging her and the rest of his family.

As the second not-guilty verdict was delivered, A$AP Rocky likewise gave his attorneys hugs and seemed to be crying.

He couldn’t be more thankful as he shouted, “Thank God for saving my life,” out loud before expressing his gratitude to the twelve jurors.

Following a heated disagreement with his former friend, the artist was arrested on two felony assault charges, for which he turned down a plea, vehemently sticking to being innocent.

On November 6, 2021, A$AP Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, said the hip-hop artist opened fire on him during a street fight in Hollywood, grazing his knuckles with one of the bullets.

The Grammy-nominated artist, fashion billionaire, and longtime partner of pop diva Rihanna consistently disputed the claims.

He stated that his former boyhood buddy, A$AP Relli, merely wanted money and that the firearm was a prop gun.

Rihanna’s Reaction to the Verdict

Throughout the trial, Rihanna was frequently in court, and at the start of the closing arguments for the case against her boo, she took their two sons, RZA, age two, and Riot, age one, to court.

The founder of Fenty Beauty was also in the Los Angeles courthouse with their sons when the verdict was delivered on Tuesday afternoon.

When A$AP Rocky’s verdict read not guilty in his felony assault trial, Rihanna couldn’t help but feel “thankful” for that announcement.

She made a post on her Instagram page to show her gratitude, writing, “The Glory belongs to God and God alone. Thankful, humbled by his mercy.”

A$AP Rocky, after the verdict and being a free man, said, “This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years. I’m thankful and blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to y’all.”

The rapper is set to release his solo album and co-headline Los Angeles’ Rolling Loud festival in March 2025.

Additionally, he stars alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest, due to be released in the coming months.