The Los Angeles courtroom fell silent on September 26, 2025, as the jury foreman uttered the words ASAP Rocky had waited four years to hear: “Not guilty.” Rakim Athelaston Mayers, the 37-year-old rapper and fashion icon, walked free from felony assault charges stemming from a 2021 street altercation with his former ASAP Mob associate, ASAP Relli. The verdict capped a saga that had ensnared Rocky in legal limbo since his 2022 arrest, turning a once-tight-knit hip-hop collective into a cautionary tale of fractured loyalties. But the acquittal came with a twist: jurors later revealed they believed Rocky fired a real gun, not the prop he claimed, yet the prosecution’s evidence crumbled under scrutiny. As Rihanna, Rocky’s steadfast partner, celebrated with their two sons in the gallery, Relli’s tearful testimony and extortion accusations painted a picture of betrayal and desperation. In a world where fame amplifies feuds, Rocky’s win raises a stark question: Was this justice, or just a lucky dodge in hip-hop’s high-stakes game?
The roots of the case trace back to August 2021, a sweltering Stockholm street where Rocky and Relli—real name Terrance O’Neil Thornton—clashed outside a hotel. What began as a verbal spat escalated into violence, with Relli alleging Rocky fired a semi-automatic pistol at him, grazing his arm and shattering a car window. Relli, a longtime Mob member since the group’s 2007 inception, claimed the beef stemmed from Rocky’s “abandonment” after fame hit. “Everybody’s broke or bums,” Relli testified, his voice cracking. “Some OGs OD’d, one’s in the projects, another homeless.” He accused Rocky of ghosting ASAP Josh’s family after the rapper’s 2021 death, promising funeral funds that never materialized. The prosecution painted Rocky as a volatile star, but his defense—led by Joe Tacopina—fired back: “Blatant extortion.”
Rocky’s trial, a four-year odyssey, was a spectacle of star power and street grit. Arrested in Sweden during a Rihanna vacation, he was extradited to L.A., spending weeks in jail before $550,000 bail. The 2022 charges—two felonies for assault with a semi-automatic—threatened 13 years behind bars. Rocky, stoic in court, claimed he fired a prop gun from a music video, but jurors later confided to The Hollywood Reporter they weren’t buying it. “We thought it was real,” one anonymous juror said. “But the instructions and evidence weren’t enough to convict.” The gun? Never recovered. Relli’s two-day delay in seeking medical aid? Suspicious. Phone recordings of Relli demanding “money from Rocky”? Damning. “Fake audio!” Relli snapped on the stand, lashing at Tacopina: “You’re annoying!” The jury deliberated two days, acquitting on both counts.
Rihanna, 37, was Rocky’s rock—attending nearly every hearing, often with sons RZA, 2, and Riot Rose, 17 months. Her presence? A masterclass in subtle sway. “Obsessed with Rihanna,” Tacopina admitted to TMZ. “It doesn’t hurt.” Prosecutors begged jurors: “No matter how famous his partner is… treat him like anyone else.” But RiRi’s gallery glow-up—Fenty empire intact—humanized Rocky, her post-verdict IG: “The glory belongs to God.” A reporter’s “lost childhood friend” jab drew her icy glare, silencing the room. Relli? Tearful on the stand, he claimed Rocky “used” him for Mob clout, then bailed for RiRi riches. “Money split? It’s not,” he said bitterly. Rocky’s team: “Extortionist.”
The ASAP Mob, born in Harlem’s DIY scene, was once unbreakable—Rocky, Relli, Ferg, Nast—united by raw energy. But as Rocky soared (Testing, 2018; Don’t Be Dumb, 2025), fractures formed. Relli: “Rocky promised business support—never delivered.” Josh’s 2021 OD death? Relli: “Rocky ghosted the family.” The jury saw extortion, not betrayal—Relli’s demands for hush money post-shootout sealed his fate. “He had a lot to lose,” the juror advised Rocky. “Think before you’re upset.”
Rocky’s response? Defiant joy. Post-verdict, he hugged RiRi, sons in arms, then quipped to reporters: “God first… jury made the right decision.” His lawyer: “Blatant extortion.” Relli’s tears? Crocodile, per Tacopina: “He wanted a payday.” Fans? Split. X: #RockyFree 4M posts celebrate; #JusticeForRelli 1M cries foul. “Relli’s broke—Rocky’s billionaire,” one user tweeted. Rihanna’s silence on Relli? Telling. Her empire—Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty—$1.4B valuation—shields Rocky’s world.
The verdict’s shadow? Rocky’s recklessness. Pregnant RiRi at home, yet Rocky in Sweden with a gun? “Too much to lose,” fans echo. Relli’s pain? Real or revenge? Mob’s “broke bums” claim stings—Ferg’s Always Strive, Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb thrive, but Relli fades. Extortion or abandonment? The jury chose the former.
Rocky’s free, but the scars linger. RiRi’s glare, a juror’s doubt—echoes of a beef that broke brothers. As Rocky rebuilds, Relli rebuilds too—perhaps wiser. Hip-hop’s family feuds? They heal or haunt. For now, Rocky’s reign resumes, RiRi’s ring unbreakable. The game’s give-and-take? Rocky gave Relli the boot—or did Relli pull the trigger?
