Rapper A$AP Rocky faces shooting assault trial in Los Angeles

An assault trial begins on Friday against rapper A$AP Rocky, who is accused of firing a gun at a former friend in Los Angeles.

The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, faces 24 years in prison if convicted on two felony assault charges in the 2021 incident near a Hollywood hotel.

The Grammy-nominated hip-hop star, who is also a fashion mogul and the longtime partner of singer Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.

The victim, fellow artist and childhood friend Terell Ephron, testified last year that bullets grazed his knuckles and he decided to seek medical treatment at a hospital after flying back to New York.

A jury of seven women and five men was selected over the course of three days this week before the opening arguments kick off on Friday. The trial is expected to last about three weeks.

Authorities say the shooting happened on 6 November in 2021 after a “heated discussion” in Hollywood between the rapper and Terell Ephron, who were both part of the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective and have known one another since their time together at a New York high school.

The rapper is alleged to have first pulled out the weapon in a threatening manner during a physical argument outdoors, just one block from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to the charging documents.

Prosecutors say he later fired the weapon twice in the direction of the victim, who sustained a minor injury.

The rapper rejected a plea offer ahead of the trial and said the weapon he was accused of firing was a “prop gun” incapable of firing real ammunition, according to US media. The AP news agency reported that this would have meant agreeing to 180 days in prison.

His attorney told US media that they are ready for the trial and look forward to putting it behind them.

“We’re ready to go. It’s been a long time,” his attorney Joe Tacopina told the Associated Press. “It’s been something that’s waiting over Rocky’s head and Rihanna and their family’s heads for a while. We’re anxious to get this thing underway and get this behind him.”

A key point of contention in the case is the police investigation and Mr Ephron’s injuries. The rapper’s attorneys argued in court documents that the case should be dismissed over Mr Ephron taking multiple days to report the incident.

Authorities who responded to the shooting did not find any shell casings when surveying the area but Mr Ephron returned to the scene later and gathered two shell casings he said he found in the area. He brought them when he reported the incident two days later.

The gun allegedly used in the incident was not located.

Mr Mayers’s lawyer also questioned the wound Mr Ephron had on his hand and allege it may have been from a punch.

The trial is happening at a crucial moment for A$AP Rocky, who has two children with singer Rihanna.

In May, he is set to co-chair the 2025 Met Gala alongside big names like Anna Wintour, British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Pharrell Williams and basketball superstar LeBron James.

Later this summer, he is also set to appear in a film directed by Spike Lee called “Highest 2 Lowest” with acting legend Denzel Washington.

The star was previously given a two-year suspended sentence for his role in a brawl in Stockholm in August 2019.

The rapper and two members of his entourage were convicted of kicking and beating a 19-year-old man after an argument. They said they acted in self-defence, but the court rejected their argument.

The case drew worldwide media attention after US president Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to secure Mr Mayers’s release from prison as he awaited trial.

Born in New York, Mr Mayers was one of the biggest break-out stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the US including Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD and A$AP Forever.

He rose to fame after being championed by Drake, and has worked with artists including Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez and Kendrick Lamar.

The BBC’s Mark Savage contributed reporting.