Rihanna’s Reaction the Moment A$AP Rocky Was Found Not Guilty

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It’s been a wild few years for A$AP Rocky — court dates, legal battles, and the looming threat of 24 years behind bars. But on Tuesday, February 18, the 36-year-old rapper walked out of a Los Angeles courtroom a free man after a jury found him not guilty on two felony assault charges.

A$AP Rocky’s biggest supporter? His girlfriend, Rihanna. The moment the verdict was read, the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist ran straight into her arms, celebrating the conclusion of a high-stakes legal battle that began in 2021. But Rihanna, 36, didn’t just keep her relief to herself — the Barbadian singer took to Instagram moments later to share her reaction.

“THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE!” she wrote on her Story. “THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!”

A$AP Rocky — whose real name is Rakim Maybers — had been accused of firing a gun at his former friend and A$AP Mob member, A$AP Relli (Terell Ephron), during a dispute in Hollywood. But after just four hours of deliberation, the jury sided with the defense, which had argued that the weapon in question was a prop gun.

The “F**kin’ Problems” hitmaker made sure to personally show his gratitude to the jurors before leaving the courtroom. “Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision,” he told them. The judge also thanked the jury for their time, noting, “We cannot have jury trials without folks like you.”

Outside the courthouse, A$AP Rocky kept his message short: “God first, you gotta thank God first,” he said in a press conference. “And I really want to thank the jury for making the right decision… This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years, but I’m thankful, nonetheless.”

Shortly after walking free, the musician wasted no time sharing his thoughts. He took to X (formerly Twitter), writing “DON’T BE DUMB” — a message that seemingly referenced both his legal battle and his long-awaited album of the same name.

Rihanna had been by his side throughout the three-week trial, even bringing their sons — RZA, 2, and Riot, 1 — to court. Prosecutors weren’t thrilled about it, claiming A$AP Rocky’s celebrity status shouldn’t sway the jury. “I want to make sure that no matter how famous his [partner] is, no matter how cute his kids are… he needs to be treated like any other person,” District Attorney John Lewin said in closing arguments on Friday, February 14.

After the legal battle ended, the couple stepped out in Beverly Hills for a celebratory dinner at Gravitas. According to TMZ, A$AP Rocky looked relieved as he thanked bystanders who congratulated him outside the restaurant. When asked how he felt now that it was all over, he kept it simple: “Amazing.”