A$AP Rockyhas gratitude on the brain.
Even before knowing the outcome of his shooting case, the 36-year-old (real name Rakim Mayers) shared his appreciation for his lawyer Joe Tacopina, who said Rocky told him “some very nice things.”
“He looked at me and grabbed me and he said, ‘Joe, I just want you to know I know how hard you fought here,’” Tacopina told Extrain an interview published Feb. 19. “‘I know everything you’ve done and I just appreciate you so much. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and we’re in this together no matter what. And I love you.’”
He added, “That is rare when you have a client who is about to hear his fate and it’s obviously a very serious moment for him and he has the wherewithal and the thought to think, ‘Let me acknowledge and thank this guy.’ It was special that he did that. But it’s who he is.”
A jury ultimately acquitted Rocky Feb. 18 of two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
And the “Praise the Lord” rapper—who dramatically leapt into girlfriend Rihanna’s arms after the first not guilty verdict—shared equally kind sentiments with his lawyer after the trial, with Tacopina, adding, “He told me he loved me and we’re family.”
And family may be the perfect descriptor for Uncle Joe, as Rocky and Rihanna—whose sons RZA Athleston, 2, and Riot Rose, 18 months, attended the Feb. 13 closing arguments of the case—let him know they wanted to honor him in a special way.
“They grabbed me and they said, ‘Listen, our next baby is A$AP Joe,’” Tacopina shared. “I said, ‘I’m gonna hold you to that!’”
Following the end of the case—which stemmed from a 2021 argument between Rocky and his former bandmate Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli—the “L$D” rapper and “Diamonds” singer expressed their relief with the rest of the world.
“THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE!” Rihanna wrote to her Instagram Story Feb. 18. “THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!”
For his part, Rocky also posted to social media in celebration, writing to X (formerly Twitter) Feb. 18, “DON’T BE DUMB,” possible hinting at his anticipated album of the same name that was meant to be released in August 2024, but has been delayed.
For more on Rocky and Rihanna’s lives over the years, keep reading…
September 2012
In 2012, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky performed their hit “Cockiness” at the MTV Video Music Awards, and their number was so good it deserved a trophy. This wouldn’t be the last time the two shared the stage as they went on tour together in 2013.
September 2013
Fans had this song on replay after Rihanna and A$AP Rocky released the music video for “Fashion Killa” in 2013.
June 2018
As the years went on, they remained friends. In 2018, they attended the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week and, of course, they totally slayed.
December 2019
They also attended The Fashion Awards in 2019, with Rihanna dazzling in a mint Fenty dress and A$AP Rocky looking sharp in a black suit.
September 2021
Met Gala official! Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attended the 2021 Met Gala together in style, with the “Umbrella” singer wearing a black Balenciaga gown and the “A$AP Forever” artist donning a custom ERL quilt and a tuxedo.
February 2022
After announcing they were expecting their first baby, Rihanna recalled keeping her pregnancy a secret from her friends. “It was harder for me to keep it from my posse, because they’re around me, they know my habits,” she told E!’s Justin Sylvester. “They’re like, ‘You don’t want something to drink? You’re not smoking?’ And I’m eating all the things I’m not used to eating. They know I hate sweets and I’m all of a sudden asking for cookies and donuts. But finally, I just had to let it all out, and they were all shocked, of course, as the world was shocked as well.”
February 2022
SOS! These photos are so sweet! As Rihanna and A$AP prepared for their bundle of joy, she continued to show her incredible pregnancy style.
May 2022
While fans wondered if A$AP Rocky had proposed to Rihanna after seeing them sport the words “Marry me?” and “I do” across their teeth in his “D.M.B.” video, sources close to the couple told TMZ in May 2022 the two aren’t engaged.
May 2022
And baby makes three! Multiple outlets report that the couple welcomed a baby in Los Angeles.
February 2023
She debuted her second pregnancy during the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.
May 2023
The pair take the 2023 Met Gala together in honor of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.
June 2023
Rihanna accompanied A$AP Rocky during his performance at a Spotify party in Cannes, France.
August 2023
The couple welcomed their second child, son Riot. One month later, they shared their first photos as a family of four in a rare photoshoot.
April 2024
Rihanna confirmed her romance with A$AP began at the end of 2019.
“I’ve seen him in relationships. He’s seen me in relationships,” she explained in a conversation for Interview published April 9. “We knew what we’re capable of, and the trouble that we could bring to each other’s lives. We can make or break each other’s hearts. And so, we started dating with a lot of caution.”
May 2025
Baby No. 3! Shortly before arriving to the 2025 Met Gala, the “Love on the Brain” singer confirmed her pregnancy.
September 2025
Rihanna announced the birth of her daughter Rocki Irish Mayers with a pair of Instagram photos of herself holding the newborn as a set of pink boxing gloves.
