Renowned musician Rihanna’s boyfriend, Rakim Mayers, popularly known as ASAP Rocky, has found himself at the center of a legal storm as he faces an upcoming trial for the alleged shooting of his childhood friend, Terell Ephron.
The event, which happened two years ago, came to light recently when a video went viral that appeared to show ASAP Rocky allegedly shooting Ephron with a revolver.
It was announced on the second day of his hearing that ASAP Rocky would go on trial for allegedly shooting Ephron in the face during a fight, resulting in minor injuries. The rapper has submitted a not guilty plea.
Rocky is currently being charged with two felonies of assault with a firearm; if proven guilty, he may spend up to nine years in jail.
The rapper and Ephron, who was a member of A$AP’s Mob hip-hop group and knew each other since their time in a New York high school, got into an argument that resulted in the charges.
In a different case, Ephron says he was brought to an undisclosed location by Asap Rocky outside the W Hotel in Hollywood on November 6, 2021, to address a disagreement. He also claims he is a victim of carelessness, emotional distress, assault and violence.
CCTV footage of the event has gone viral, with some claiming to have seen Rakim pull a gun and fire it.
The legal team for ASAP Rocky, however, disputes that he is the guy shown in the video.
The music industry has seen the increase in fame of ASAP Rocky, who is currently in a relationship with music legend Rihanna.
The couple has two kids together. With the help of performers like Drake, the rapper rose to fame. He has worked with Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez, and Kendrick Lamar, among other artists.