In 2021, rapper Rakim Mayars, better known as A$AP Rocky was charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. This occurred after an argument with his childhood friend Terell Ephron. He is also known as A$AP Relli and another one of his fellow musicians. As of the trial on Feb. 18, Mayars was found not guilty on all charges.
“It was a shock to hear he was on trial. I have listened to his music for years and I had no idea this was all happening until a few days ago,” Carlye Condon ‘26 said.
Ephron insists his acquaintance shot him in the hand. However, the real question was whether Mayar used a fake or a real gun during the disagreement. He claimed Mayar shot him when security was left in an attempt to break up a fight between him and another one of their friends. During the three-week trial, Los Angeles prosecutors claimed him as an aggressive person. If found guilty, he could have faced up to 24 years behind bars. He fought for his career, as it was threatened by the defense.
The rapper pleaded not guilty and refused a pre-trial plea deal, as this would have resulted in 180 days in jail. He claimed to have made this decision because he knew he was innocent in the situation.
“The prosecution to avoid a long trial will often seek a deal. This deal attempts to satisfy the law as well as the victims wishes. Sometimes the deal is a good one, sometimes it is not, similar to negotiating the price of a car. Many defendants have gone to trial without taking the deal and have been found not guilty,” civil and criminal law teacher Gaven Jones said.
The case lacked valuable evidence in support of Ephron’s case. The jury determined the gun Mayar shot was fake. It has been said by multiple witnesses he carries a prop gun around because he has been a victim of various incidents which involve violent behavior, one which includes a home invasion and a stabbing three years prior.
“The whole situation seems odd. To carry a prop gun around does not seem logical or beneficial to anyone if another potentially harmful incident was to happen,” Elijah Wyse ‘27 said.
The rapper’s support within his lawyers and family allowed him to fight this case with a positive mindset in hopes to be able to continue his journey as a husband, father and singer. He influences cultural versatility and innovation through his music and style, and this promotes an environment rich in culture amongst society.
“He’s got a lot of fans, that doesn’t happen because he’s a singer. That happens because of who he is as a person,” Mayar’s defense attorney Joe Tacopina said to NBC News.
