Rihanna hit back at a reporter’s question after her partner, A$AP Rocky, was found not guilty of felony assault in a high-profile Los Angeles trial.
The couple exited the rapper’s trial on Tuesday surrounded by reporters and fans.
In a video shared on X, someone could be heard asking Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers): “A$AP how does it feel losing your childhood best friend?”
In the trial, Rocky was accused of firing a gun at his longtime friend, rapper A$AP Relli, during an alleged incident in Hollywood in 2021.
Rihanna span around to address the comment, responding curtly: “How do you think it feels?”
On X/Twitter, many people applauded Rihanna for defending her partner.
“Rihanna had to check someone for asking a weird af question,” one wrote.
“Oh she don't play about her man like that was so unnecessary and insensitive as a question tho,” another added, while a third agreed: “That was so unnecessary, but Rihanna handled it perfectly.”
After deliberating for just three hours on Tuesday, a jury returned to court to give the not-guilty verdict. If convicted, he could have faced up to 24 years in prison.
On the eve of trial, Rocky turned down a prosecution offer of just six months in jail, along with probation and other conditions, if he would plead guilty to one count.
Prosecutors alleged that Rocky twice fired a gun at Relli, real name Terrell Ephron, when they met up in Hollywood on November 6, 2021. The pair were part of a crew who called themselves the A$AP Mob since high school.
Relli was the key witness for the prosecution. In his testimony, which made up the bulk of the prosecution’s case, he said his knuckles were grazed by one of the shots, but he was otherwise uninjured.
The defense argued that Rocky fired blanks from a prop gun that he picked up from a music video set for protection.
rihanna had to check someone for asking a weird af question 😭
— cherise johnson (@yourCheriseAmor) February 19, 2025
random: “Asap how does it feel losing your childhood best friend?”
rihanna: “how do u think it feels?” 😒 pic.twitter.com/6O5GnwCEOb
Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina said in his closing argument that Relli is “an angry pathological liar” who “committed perjury again and again and again and again.”
Upon hearing the verdict, Rocky turned and ran to embrace jubilant supporters behind him – falling over as he did so.
“Thank y’all for saving my life,” he told jurors as they left the courtroom. He left the trail with Rihanna who attended much of the trial and brought their two toddler sons — RZA, two, and Riot, one — to closing arguments.
Outside the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Rocky spoke to the press, expressing his gratitude for God and the jury.
“I really want to thank the jury for making the right decision. I’m just so thankful. This is crazy right now,” he said. “This whole experience has been crazy, for the past four years, but I’m thankful, nonetheless, I’m thankful. Blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talkin’ to y’all. Thank you.”
The “Umbrella” singer later issued a short statement on her Instagram Story. “The glory belongs to god and god alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy.”
