LOS ANGELES, U.S. — Rapper A$AP Rocky was found not guilty of two counts of felony assault on Tuesday, bringing an end to a high-profile trial stemming from a 2021 altercation in Hollywood.
The verdict, delivered in a Los Angeles courtroom, spared the Grammy-nominated artist—whose real name is Rakim Mayers—from a potential decades-long prison sentence.
Mayers, 36, had been accused of firing a nine-millimeter semi-automatic weapon at former friend and fellow A$AP collective member Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli, grazing his hand.
The trial saw weeks of testimony, including Ephron’s claim that Mayers had lured him to a parking garage, drawn a gun, and threatened, “I’ll kill you right now,” before allegedly firing twice.
But the defense, led by attorney Joe Tacopina, argued the case was built on lies, calling Ephron “a criminal and a perjurer” and insisting the supposed weapon was nothing more than a harmless prop used in films and music videos.
No firearm was ever recovered, and police at the scene initially found no shell casings—only for Ephron to later return and produce two.
Tacopina framed the allegations as an extortion attempt, telling reporters after the verdict: “The jury saw through the mirage of a case. I’ve always said this was an extortion, and it played out live in court.”
Mayers, who shares two children with singer Rihanna, appeared visibly relieved as he embraced supporters after the jury’s decision.
Rihanna, a frequent presence in the courtroom throughout the trial, did not immediately comment on the outcome.
The ruling marks a legal victory for the Harlem-born rapper, who rose to fame with hit albums Long. Live. A$AP and At. Long. Last. A$AP.
It also closes another chapter in his history of legal troubles—most notably his 2019 conviction in Sweden after a street fight, an incident that drew international attention and even a diplomatic intervention from then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
For now, A$AP Rocky walks free, his legal battle over—but the fallout from the explosive case may linger.
