A $AP Rocky trial begins with prosecutors showing shooting video

A $AP Rocky assault trial began Friday in Los Angeles, where the rapper is accused of firing a gun at a former friend.

The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, faces up to 24 years in prison if convicted of two counts of felony assault in the 2021 incident near a Hollywood hotel.

In opening statements Friday, prosecutors described the rapper as the shooter and claimed he orchestrated a plan to shoot his childhood friend after a disagreement.

The Grammy-nominated hip-hop star, who is also a fashion mogul and the former partner of singer Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty and has denied the allegations.

The victim, fellow artist and childhood friend Terell Ephron, testified last year that Bullets grazed his knuckles when the rapper opened fire at his address in Hollywood, just a block from the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. He said he decided to seek medical treatment at a hospital after flying back to New York.

Authorities say the shooting occurred on November 6, 2021 after a “heated argument” in Hollywood between the rapper and Terell Ephron, who were part of the A$AP mafia hip-hop collective and have known each other since their time. together at a New York High School.

A jury of seven women and five men was selected over the course of three days this week before opening arguments began Friday.

Mayers, who attended the trial in a gray lawsuit, was joined by some members of his family on Friday, but notably absent was singer Rihanna, with whom he shares two children. It’s unclear if she would be able to appear at trial, but the rapper’s attorney told the court this week that Mayers has tried to keep her family away from all of this.

Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec opened the trial Friday with a detailed presentation of video evidence, describing the case against the rapper as simple. “What will remain almost instantly is that this is not a complicated case,” he told the jury.

Mayers, along with two friends and Mr. Ephron, met to talk after they had a disagreement the night before. But the meeting turned violent.

The first video, which was partially obscured, showed a confrontation between two men, with two others stepping in to intervene. A man, identified as Mr. Mayers, is seen pulling a gun but not firing it. Additional footage from later that night captures two gunshots during a fight involving the same group.

“If you brought a gun, then you should shoot,” Mr. Ephron reportedly told Mr. Mayers, according to Przelomiec. Moments later, Mr. Mayers is accused of opening fire, allegedly grazing Ephron’s knuckle.

“In his mental state, he never believed he was going to be shot,” Przelomiec told the court.

Prosecutors also showed jurors text messages exchanged shortly after the incident between the couple, where Ephron accuses the rap star of trying to kill him.

“You’re trying to kill me,” he wrote.

Mr. Mayers responded: “Wtf Iz Ut talking.”

The rapper rejected a plea offer before trial and said the gun he was accused of firing was a “prop gun” incapable of firing live ammunition. The AP news agency reported that this would have meant accepting 180 days in prison.

Defense attorney Joe Tacopina said Friday that the weapon was a starter gun used as a prop, something the rapper’s security guards advised him to carry to defend himself against potential attackers. The rapper had been a victim of crimes in the past, he said.

Mr. Tacopina painted the case as a bitter fall between friends that was involved in money.

“This case is about the jealousy of a man, who is in Green,” he told the jury. “This case is about money, a clear attempt at extortion. Period, end of story.”

A key point of contention in the case is the police investigation and Ephron’s injuries. The rapper’s lawyers have focused, and did so on Friday, on how it took Ephron several days to report the incident to police and how authorities found no trace of a shooting.

Authorities responding to the 2021 shooting did not find any shell casings when searching the area, but Ephron returned to the scene later and gathered two shell casings he said he found in the area. He brought them when he reported the incident two days later.

The defense said the outcome of the trial depends on Ephron’s testimony, noting, “He is the witness that this case will rise and fall.”

The trial is expected to last approximately three weeks, and Ephron is expected to take the position as a key witness.

The trial is occurring at a crucial time for $AP Rocky’s career.

In May, he’s set to co-press the 2025 Met Gala alongside big names like Anna Wintour, British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Pharrell Williams and basketball superstar LeBron James.

Later this summer, he will also appear in a film directed by Spike Lee called “The Shortest” with acting legend Denzel Washington.

The star was He previously received a two-year suspended sentence. for his role in a fight in Stockholm in August 2019.

The rapper and two members of his entourage were convicted of kicking and beating a 19-year-old man after an argument. They said they acted in self-defense, but the court rejected their argument.

The case gained global media attention after US President Donald Trump unsuccessfully attempted to secure Mayers’ release from prison while he awaited trial.

Born in New York, Mr. Mayers was one of the biggest stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the United States, including Wild for the Night, Everyday, LSD and A$AP Forever.

He rose to fame after being defended by Drake, and has worked with artists such as Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez and Kendrick Lamar.

The BBC’s Mark Savage contributed reporting.