A former associate of A$AP Rocky is expected to testify regarding an incident in which the hip-hop artist allegedly discharged a firearm at him on a Hollywood street in 2021. The key witness, identified as A$AP Relli, is anticipated to deliver crucial testimony when he returns to the stand.
Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. His attorney contends that the shots fired were blanks from a starter pistol used as a prop.
On Tuesday, Relli, born Terell Ephron, recounted the initial part of the confrontation and was poised to describe the alleged shooting when court adjourned for the day. He shared that he and Rocky, both members of the A$AP crew formed during their high school years in New York, had previously been close friends. However, their relationship deteriorated as Rocky gained fame.
Relli expressed that their bond had been strained for years, worsening in the days leading up to the incident. He recounted feeling “furious” when Rocky allegedly pointed a gun at him following a scuffle that began upon their meeting near the W Hotel. “I told him to use it. Because mentally I couldn’t believe it,” Relli testified, with Rocky listening intently from the defense table. “I physically could not believe there was a gun in my face. That was the breaking point for me.”
Relli expressed that he had hoped to resolve his differences with Rocky rather than engage in a confrontation that could jeopardize the modest music management business he had established. “He’s famous,” Relli noted, “I’m nobody.” As the trial proceeds, Relli is expected to face rigorous cross-examination from the defense during a shortened court session due to a prosecutor's prior commitment.
A$AP Rocky, raised in Harlem, gained significant fame with his rap music, achieving mainstream success with his first studio album reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2013, followed by his second album in 2015. This year marks a pivotal moment in his career, as he is nominated for a Grammy Award for best music video for “Tailor Swif” and is set to headline the Rolling Loud Music Festival, star in a Spike Lee film alongside Denzel Washington, and co-chair the Met Gala in May.
However, the looming possibility of a conviction, which could result in a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison, casts a shadow over these achievements. Rocky, who is in a long-term relationship with Rihanna and shares two young sons with her, has yet to have her present in court during the trial proceedings.
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