Rihanna made her first court appearance in support of her partner A$AP Rocky, as his former friend testified about an incident where the rapper allegedly fired a gun in his direction. The renowned singer, who shares two young sons with Rocky, sat alongside his mother and sister, out of sight of the courtroom cameras in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is facing trial for allegedly firing a handgun at Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli, and has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Prior to the trial, Rocky’s legal team indicated that Rihanna might attend to show her support, considering the potential influence of her celebrity status on the proceedings.
During jury selection, prosecutors inquired whether the jurors’ knowledge of Rihanna and her connection to Rocky would affect their judgment. Nearly half of the jurors had heard of A$AP Rocky, while almost all were familiar with Rihanna, but they expressed confidence that it would not influence their decisions.
It remains unclear if the jury was aware of Rihanna’s presence during the testimony, as she entered the courtroom discreetly with security before reporters arrived and left through a restricted exit afterward.
As the trial’s key witness, Ephron began his testimony, recounting his past friendship with Rocky, which soured after the rapper gained fame. He alleged that Rocky fired a gun at him during a confrontation on a Hollywood street in 2021. Ephron described an altercation where he was shouting at Rocky, who was walking away after an initial scuffle.
Ephron testified that Rocky pulled a gun from his waistband and fired, stating, “He turned around and then it was like BOOM!” He described feeling a “hot” sensation in his hand, indicating he was either hit or grazed but did not sustain a serious injury. Ephron mentioned that he sought protection behind a mutual friend after the first shot was fired and did not witness Rocky firing a second shot before the rapper fled the scene.
