A$AP Rocky’s assault trial began on Friday in Los Angeles, where the rapper is accused of firing a gun at a former friend.
The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, faces up to 24 years in prison if convicted on two felony assault charges in the 2021 incident near a Hollywood hotel.
In opening statements on Friday, prosecutors described the rapper as the aggressor and claimed he orchestrated a plan to shoot his childhood friend following a disagreement.
The Grammy-nominated hip-hop star, who is also a fashion mogul and the longtime partner of singer Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
The victim, fellow artist and childhood friend Terell Ephron, testified last year that bullets grazed his knuckles when the rapper opened fire in his direction in Hollywood, just one block from the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. He said he decided to seek medical treatment at a hospital after flying back to New York.
Authorities say the shooting happened on 6 November in 2021 after a “heated discussion” in Hollywood between the rapper and Terell Ephron, who were both part of the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective and have known one another since their time together at a New York high school.
A jury of seven women and five men was selected over the course of three days this week before the opening arguments kicked off on Friday.
Mr Mayers, attending the trial in a grey suit, was joined by some members of his family on Friday, but notably absent was singer Rihanna, who he shares two children with. It’s unclear whether she might appear at the trial, but the rapper’s attorney told the court this week that Mr Mayers has tried to keep his family away from all of this.
Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec opened the trial on Friday with a detailed presentation of video evidence, describing the case against the rapper as straightforward. “What will become almost instantly clear is that this is not a complicated case,” he told the jury.
Mr Mayers, along with two friends and Mr Ephron, met up to talk after they had a disagreement the night before. But the meeting turned violent.
The first video, which was partially obscured, showed a confrontation between two men, with two others stepping in to intervene. One man, identified as Mr Mayers, is seen pulling a gun but not firing. Additional footage from later that night captures two gunshots during a scuffle involving the same group.
“If you brought a gun, then you should shoot,” Mr Ephron reportedly told Mr Mayers, according to Przelomiec. Moments later, Mr Mayers is accused of opening fire, allegedly grazing Ephron’s knuckle.
“In his state of mind, he never believed he was going to be shot,” Przelomiec told the court.
Prosecutors also showed the jury text messages exchanged shortly after the incident between the pair, where Mr Ephron accuses the rap star of trying to kill him.
“U try killing me,” he wrote.
Mr. Mayers responded, “wtf iz ut talking about.”
The rapper rejected a plea offer ahead of the trial and said the weapon he was accused of firing was a “prop gun” incapable of firing real ammunition. The AP news agency reported that this would have meant agreeing to 180 days in prison.
Defence attorney Joe Tacopina on Friday said the gun was a starter pistol used as a prop, something the rapper’s security guards advised him to carry to fend off potential attackers. The rapper had been victim of crimes in the past, he said.
Mr Tacopina painted the case as bitter falling out between friends that was wrapped up in money.
“This case is about one man’s jealousy, which lies in green,” he told the jury. “This case is all about money, a clear attempt at extortion. Period, end of story.”
A key point of contention in the case is the police investigation and Mr Ephron’s injuries. The rapper’s attorneys have focused – and did on Friday – on Mr Ephron taking multiple days to report the incident to police and how authorities found no trace of a shooting.
Authorities who responded to the 2021 shooting did not find any bullet shell casings when surveying the area, but Mr Ephron returned to the scene later and gathered two shell casings he said he found in the area. He brought them when he reported the incident two days later.
The defence said the trial’s outcome hinges on Mr Ephron’s testimony, noting, “He’s the witness that this case will rise and fall on”.
The trial is expected to last about three weeks, with Mr Ephron expected to take the stand as a key witness.
The trial is happening at a crucial moment for A$AP Rocky’s career.
In May, he is set to co-chair the 2025 Met Gala alongside big names like Anna Wintour, British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Pharrell Williams and basketball superstar LeBron James.
Later this summer, he is also set to appear in a film directed by Spike Lee called “Highest 2 Lowest” with acting legend Denzel Washington.
The star was previously given a two-year suspended sentence for his role in a brawl in Stockholm in August 2019.
The rapper and two members of his entourage were convicted of kicking and beating a 19-year-old man after an argument. They said they acted in self-defence, but the court rejected their argument.
The case drew worldwide media attention after US president Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to secure Mr Mayers’s release from prison as he awaited trial.
Born in New York, Mr Mayers was one of the biggest break-out stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the US including Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD and A$AP Forever.
He rose to fame after being championed by Drake, and has worked with artists including Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez and Kendrick Lamar.
