A$AP Rocky and Rihanna have promised to name their next baby after his lawyer
The 36-year-old rapper was acquitted on Tuesday (18.02.25) after being accused of shooting his former friend Terrell Ephron during an altercation near a hotel almost four years ago and after he was found not guilty of two county of felony assault, the 'Praise the Lord' hitmaker and his partner Rihanna - - who already have sons RZA, two, and 18-month-old Riot - wanted to make a show of gratitude to his attorney Joe Tacopina
22 February 2025
Joe told 'Extra': "They grabbed me and they said, 'Listen, our next baby A$AP Joe.' I said, 'I'm gonna hold you to that!'"
The lawyer noted his famous client had "said some very nice things" to him.
He added: "He told me he loved me and we're family."
Joe had shared a "special" moment with Rocky - whose real name is Rakim Mayers - before the verdict was announced.
He recalled: "He didn't know if he was going to go home and see his two babies that night or start a decade-long prison sentence literally that day.
"He grabbed me and he said, 'Joe, I want you to know, I know how hard you fought here. I know everything you've done, and I just appreciate you so much.' "It's obviously a very serious moment for him, and he has the wherewithal and the thought to think, 'Let me thank this guy.' It was special that he did that."
As the verdict was read, the 'Highjack' rapper leapt into the front row of the gallery to embrace Rihanna when the first not guilty verdict was read, but Joe had to remain focused.
He said: "I told my partner, 'Get him back here, we have another count. I'm thinking, 'My God, if the second count doesn't go well, this is gonna be embarrassing.' But of course it did, and I was confident it was going to.'"
Rihanna previously expressed her relief after Rocky was acquitted.
She wrote on her Instagram Story: "The Glory belongs to God and God alone. Thankful, humbled by his mercy."
During the trial, Ephron had claimed that the Grammy Award-winning rapper - whose real name is Rakim Mayers - had opened fire on him and grazed his knuckles in the process.
The 'Fashion Killa' hitmaker became friends with Ephron in high school, although the pair spoke less and less in the years that saw him become world-famous.
During the trial, the rapper's defense argued that the firearm in question was a harmless prop gun, whilst Ephron and his legal team alleged that it was an actual weapon.
Part of the altercation had been captured on camera, and the jury was able to watch some of the footage was captured via surveillance video, but nothing of the actual alleged shooting was filmed.
With no evidence to corroborate Ephron's accusations, Judge Mark Arnold said: "Mr. Mayers, you're excused!"
Just before the trial, A$AP had rejected an offer of serving six months in jail if he accepted just one of the two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Following his acquittal, he said: "This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years.
"I'm thankful and it's blessed to be here right now to be a free man talking to y'all."
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