Rihanna made her first look in courtroom throughout ASAP Rocky’s assault trial Wednesday, with the singer seated within the gallery because the downtown Los Angeles courtroom heard key testimony about an alleged taking pictures that would ship her rap star companion to jail for practically 20 years.
On the witness stand was Terell Ephron, a.ok.a. ASAP Relli, a co-founder of ASAP Mob, the Harlem rap collective that helped launch Rocky’s profession. Ephron testified that he met up with Rocky, whose authorized identify is Rakim Mayers, in Hollywood on Nov. 6, 2021, within the hopes of fixing their damaged friendship.
Ephron stated the 2 had drifted aside as Mayers’ star rose and the opposite members of the crew struggled to search out success. Other than Mayers, most members of the ASAP crew at the moment are “broke or bums,” Ephron beforehand testified.
“I call him Mr. Six Month Man, cause I’d see him once every six months … when he’d come around, he was fake. What are we supposed to be in this ASAP thing for?” Ephron requested. “It was all smoke and mirrors.”
Tensions between the 2 had been excessive that evening, Ephron testified, after he overheard Mayers insulting him on a telephone name the day earlier than. Ephron additionally erroneously believed Mayers had reneged on a promise to pay for the funeral of an ASAP collective member who had died of an overdose.
Ephron stated he hoped to squash the meat with Mayers after they met close to the W Lodge on the evening of the taking pictures, however Mayers confirmed up with two different members of the ASAP crew and instantly sparked a confrontation.
“It was all like a movie … just the way he was walking … the whole thing caught me off guard, like there was no time to talk,” Ephron stated.
Prosecutors have accused Mayers of taking pictures at Ephron, who suffered a graze wound on his hand.
Mayers is charged with two counts of assault with a lethal weapon and faces a sentencing enhancement for utilizing a gun within the alleged crime. Mayers has pleaded not responsible, with legal professionals claiming the gun used within the encounter was a music video prop incapable of firing actual bullets.
When Mayers arrived for courtroom round 9:45 a.m., he was flanked by his common entourage and mobbed by media, however his paramour was nowhere in sight. Rihanna’s presence in courtroom wasn’t confirmed till just a little after 10 a.m., when she was noticed by reporters sitting amongst Mayers’ household wearing a black pea coat and sporting glasses.
The “Umbrella” singer may very well be seen watching Ephron’s testimony intently. She isn’t a witness within the case, although her relationship to Mayers got here up throughout jury choice. L.A. County Superior Court docket Choose Mark Arnold made no point out of her presence, and it was not clear if jurors had been conscious she was in courtroom.
Her representatives haven’t responded to prior requests for feedback on the case.
There may be video of the confrontation between Mayers and Ephron, nevertheless it doesn’t present the complete incident.
One clip exhibits a person in a hooded sweatshirt, who prosecutors and Ephron say is Mayers, grabbing Ephron across the head and neck, then pulling a gun from his waistband. One other exhibits the taking pictures from a distance however doesn’t clearly present anybody’s face, although it does seize audio of two loud pops that sound like gunshots.
Mayers’ protection legal professional Joe Tacopina — who’s prone to start cross-examining Ephron on Thursday — has stated the weapon was a “prop gun” that solely fired blanks.
Ephron stated Mayers pointed a gun at his head, face and chest as the 2 had a screaming match. Ephron insisted he had no intention for issues to show violent, claiming he didn’t wish to damage his outdated good friend or tank his profession within the music trade.
“If I fight Rocky … I’m already not liked … so if I’m fighting him I’m definitely getting blackballed. All the labels like him and work with him,” Ephron stated.
The conflict was interrupted when a pair walked by, in line with Ephron. However simply as issues appeared to be settling down, Ephron stated he noticed one of many males Mayers introduced with him — Jamel Phillips, a.ok.a. ASAP 12vvy — placing away a knife. At that time, Ephron stated, he felt betrayed and livid.
“I’m like, oh, hell no. So now I’m walking with them and I’m literally screaming out at the top of my lungs … how Rocky failed us, and how Jamel went on tour with Rocky for 8 or 9 years and he’s back in the projects,” Ephron stated. “I knew I would never see this dude again … I probably would have walked away if I hadn’t seen the knife.”
