A$AP Rocky Celebrates Not Guilty Verdict With Rihanna & Reactions From 50 Cent, Kanye West
A$AP Rocky is officially a free man, and he’s making sure to celebrate the moment. After being acquitted in his highly publicized shooting trial, the Harlem rapper spoke outside the courthouse, reflecting on the four-year ordeal.
“Thank God first. You gotta thank God first,” Rocky told reporters on Tuesday (February 18). “I really wanna thank the jury for making the right decision. This whole experience has been crazy, but I’m thankful nonetheless. We blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to y’all. All praise be to God.”
Shortly after, he took to X (formerly Twitter) with a simple but powerful message: “DON’T BE DUMB”—the title of his long-awaited album.
Rihanna, 50 Cent & Kanye React
Rihanna, who was in court to support her man, shared her excitement online, writing: “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy.”
50 Cent, who had been vocal throughout the trial, wasted no time trolling Rocky’s accuser, A$AP Relli. “Not guilty! I told [ninja emoji] I would bet 500K he gonna beat it,” he posted on Instagram. “Now stay sucker free.”
Meanwhile, Kanye West kept it simple, posting a black-and-white photo of Rocky in court with a prayer hands emoji.
Rocky’s longtime friend Tyler, The Creator also joined in, sharing a photo of the rapper embracing his lawyer, Joe Tacopina.
Rocky’s Emotional Courtroom Moment
The verdict came in after just three hours of jury deliberation, clearing Rocky of all charges related to the 2021 shooting of A$AP Relli in Hollywood. As soon as the decision was read, cheers erupted in the courtroom, and Rocky immediately jumped over the barrier to hug Rihanna, who was sitting in the front row with their two sons, RZA and Riot.
Before leaving, Rocky made sure to thank the jury directly: “Thank y’all for saving my life. Thank y’all for making the right decision.”
Had he been convicted, the rapper faced up to 24 years in prison, though prosecutors had planned to push for an 8-10 year sentence. Now, with the trial behind him, it looks like Rocky is ready to move forward—both personally and musically.