Rihanna stepped out with her and A$AP Rocky’s two young sons, RZA and Riot, to stand by the rapper during the closing arguments of his assault trial on February 13. The global superstar, known for her chart-topping hits and iconic fashion sense, arrived at a Los Angeles criminal courthouse, turning what could have been a somber day into a touching family moment.
A$AP (whose real name is Rakim Mayers) is presently on trial after facing two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm from an incident in 2021 involving his former friend, Terell Ephron. He has denied the accusations and entered a not-guilty plea. Ephron, a member of A$ AP’s earlier music group A$AP Collective and known in the music scene as A$AP Relli, claimed that the “Sundress” artist aimed a gun at him in Los Angeles.
While the final statements in the case against the rapper were being made, Rihanna was present in the Los Angeles courtroom with their two sons, RZA Athleston, aged 2, and Riot Rose, 18 months old.
The “Umbrella” hitmaker reached the criminal courthouse in Los Angeles in a black truck, carrying her 2-year-old son, RZA, while security sheltered them from the rain by holding umbrellas overhead.
Holding their eldest son, Rihanna was seen walking into the courthouse donning a leather coat and long white boots. Meanwhile, Riot was ahead in the arms of an unidentified woman, presumed to be his nanny.
The boys, wearing suits, could be heard making soft noises while a prosecutor spoke. Rihanna sat with one on her lap, attempting to soothe him with a toy. During the intermission, Rocky strolled down the corridor, passing by jurors while carrying the younger boy, according to reporters in the courtroom.
Jurors are expected to start their deliberations on Friday. If Rocky is found guilty, he may be sentenced to as much as 24 years. The jurors are not meant to be aware of the potential sentence he could receive. However, during his testimony, Rocky’s tour manager, Lou Levin, mentioned, “I read that he was facing 24 years,” after a prosecutor pressed him on whether he wished to see his friend and occasional boss found guilty.
The judge instructed the jury to ignore the comment. In his closing remarks, the Deputy District Attorney asserted that it was deliberate.
