Rapper A$AP Rocky has been found not guilty of firing a gun at his former friend.
A jury in Los Angeles cleared the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, of two serious assault charges. If convicted, he could have faced up to 24 years in prison.
Terell Ephron claimed that A$AP Rocky shot at him during an argument on a Hollywood street on November 6, 2021, grazing his hand with a bullet. However, A$AP Rocky denied the charges, saying the gun was just a prop and that Ephron was only trying to get money from him.
When the first “not guilty” verdict was read, people in the courtroom cheered and clapped. A$AP Rocky quickly ran to his family and Rihanna, his longtime partner, jumping over a wooden barrier to hug them.
Rihanna attended the trial many times and was there with their two young sons when the verdict was announced. A$AP Rocky also hugged his lawyers and appeared emotional as the second “not guilty” verdict was read.
“Thank God for saving my life,” he said, also thanking the jury members.
The rapper was arrested after the argument with Ephron, who was once his friend. They knew each other from high school in New York and were part of the A$AP Mob music group. Over time, their friendship faded as A$AP Rocky became more successful.
On November 6, 2021, Ephron met A$AP Rocky outside a hotel in Hollywood, a day after they had an argument. Prosecutors said A$AP Rocky pulled out a gun, pointed it at Ephron, and said, “I’ll kill you right now.”
Ephron said he told A$AP Rocky to fire, but the rapper walked away instead. As he left, Ephron followed him, shouting. At this point, Ephron claimed A$AP Rocky took out the gun again and fired multiple shots, one of which grazed his hand.
A key question in the trial was whether the gun was real or just a prop, as A$AP Rocky’s lawyers argued. The gun was never found by the police.
Some parts of the incident were caught on security cameras, including audio of gunfire, but no footage directly showed a shooting. Ephron waited two days before reporting the event to the police and brought shell casings, which he claimed to have collected from the scene. However, police who responded earlier had not found any casings.
A$AP Rocky’s lawyers suggested that Ephron planted the shell casings to make the rapper look guilty.
The trial had tense moments, especially when Ephron testified. At one point, he called the defense lawyer “annoying,” leading the judge to warn him.
Another witness, A$AP Twelvyy, was questioned about a photo showing A$AP Rocky’s bed with “AWGE” written on it. When asked what it meant, A$AP Rocky interrupted and told Twelvyy not to answer. This kind of outburst is very rare in court.
Now that the trial is over, A$AP Rocky is preparing to release his first solo album in nearly ten years and is set to perform at a major music festival in March 2025. He is also acting in a film with Denzel Washington, which is set to be released soon.
