A$AP Rocky made his debut in the hip-hop industry in 2006 as a member of the New York rap collective A$AP Mob, which graced the streets of Harlem, New York. A$AP Mob introduced record producers, music video directors and fashion designers with a unique New York flare to the world, shattering the musical landscape and creating an era of musical influence.
Although A$AP Mob has unofficially disbanded along with the death of three of its members, many remember the group's peak and their drive to break into the mainstream. A$AP Rocky has always been the most active and public face of the group.
With the conclusion of the trial of A$AP Rocky and the clearing of Rocky’s charges, it is becoming clear that the future of a reunion of the remaining Hip-Hop innovators may be the hopeful wishes of their fans.
Terrell Ephon, known as A$AP Relli, testified in court that Rocky pointed a gun at Relli’s stomach and head and threatened his life on a Hollywood street Nov. 6, 2021. Rocky allegedly fired the gun, which resulted in a hand injury that Relli would get treated in New York.
Rocky, who has been friends with Relli since high school, faced two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic handgun, with a possible sentence of up to 25 years.
During the closing arguments of the trial, deputy district attorney Paul Przelomiec stated the question of the case was not whether or not Rocky shot Relli, but if his gun was real or fake.
“This is not a difficult case,” Przelomiec said. “The question for you to answer in this case boils down to really just one question. ... And that is did Mr. Mayers, the man at the table, did he use a real gun or did he use a fake gun. Was it a real gun or was it a fake gun? Nothing else is in dispute.”
However, Rocky’s defense argued Relli was envious of Rocky and his success and assaulted Rocky twice during the night of the incident. The alleged altercation resulted in Rocky’s use of his prop gun, which he carries when he is without security, to stop Relli from harming a mutual friend.
Although the outcome of the case is now known, the entirety of the trial was filled with moments that led many people to speculate about the validity of the claims.
Joe Tacopina, A$AP Rocky’s attorney, used much of his questioning to establish the relationship between Rocky and Relli leading up to the alleged shooting.
Relli denied having had animosity or tension with Rocky before the shooting when the defense brought up text messages, previous testimonies and audio recordings that reflected otherwise.
“You trying to make me look like I got some kind of animosity toward this dude, I don’t,” Relli said. “I never did. To this day, I don’t.”
In messages sent Sept. 18, 2021, Relli was seen calling Rocky a “Fake a-- n-----” and mad about Rocky trying to charge him to work on Relli’s project. Relli ended the messages with, “I dead hate you.”
In messages weeks before the incident, Relli said he would beat Rocky up if he did not pay for the body of their deceased friend to be transferred back to New York for their funeral service. Relli expressed that he later found out Rocky did in fact pay.
After the alleged incident, Rocky responded to Relli’s alleged extortion attempt through messages. He told Relli to go to the police if he shot him and to stop contacting his manager for money.
“Now you’re trying to extort n----- talking about, I shot at you and shot you four times,” Rocky wrote. “You’re a phony, and you don’t have the best intentions — stop texting me and stop texting my manager. Call the police if I ‘shot’ at you, you weirdo.”
While there were numerous text messages shown throughout the trial, Tacopina’s questioning about Relli’s previous testimony in 2022 resulted in courtroom tensions between Relli and Rocky.
Tacopina questioned Relli about the confusion surrounding his now updated testimony. Relli previously stated that Rocky pointed the gun at his stomach and that he did not hear what Rocky said. However, Relli’s newer testimony said Rocky threatened to kill him.
Earlier in the day, Relli was scolded for an outburst targeted at Rocky when he shouted, “You did this to yourself.” The judge reprimanded him afterward and Relli retorted back saying, “He was staring at me.”
Relli was scolded by the judge multiple times during the trial for his outbursts.
Relli also accused Rocky's defense of faking an audio recording while testifying. In the audio recorded the prior Thursday after court, he told a person named Wally that Rocky shot him five times.
In an eyewitness account, A$AP Twelvyy gave his account of the altercation. He testified that Relli was the aggressor of the altercation and allegedly taunted Rocky by saying “shoot that fake a-- gun.”
Later in the trial, it was found that Relli was at a gun range and allegedly planted the bullets at the scene after the police had already investigated it and found no bullet.
Despite the changes in his story throughout the three years of the trial, Relli maintained during the trial that Rocky shot him.
“A gun was pulled on me. It was pointed at me, and it was fired later,” Relli testified in the Los Angeles trial. “It’s been three years. If he were innocent he would be home a long time ago.”
A$AP Rocky was found not guilty in an emotional scene where Rocky hugged his defense and his partner Rihanna.
A$AP Relli would comment on the trial's conclusion in an Instagram story.
“Gossiping is a form of entertainment for people who have no meaningful goals or purpose in life,” Relli wrote. “Hate me, bring shame to my name, say bad things about me, I don't care.”
