Rapper ASAP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, is on the verge of standing trial for charges linked to a shooting incident involving his former childhood friend, Terell Ephron. The incident, which transpired two years ago, recently garnered public attention due to a viral video purportedly showing ASAP Rocky firing a handgun at Ephron.
Confirmation of ASAP Rocky’s trial emerged during the second day of a court hearing. The rapper is set to face accusations of firing a pistol during a dispute with Ephron, resulting in minor injuries. He has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. If found guilty, ASAP Rocky could potentially face up to nine years in prison, confronting two felony counts of assault with a firearm.
The charges originated from an altercation between ASAP Rocky and Ephron, a former member of the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective and a childhood friend of the rapper. Ephron alleges in a separate lawsuit that he is a victim of assault and battery, negligence, and emotional distress. He claims that ASAP Rocky intentionally lured him to an undisclosed location outside the W Hotel in Hollywood on November 6, 2021, to discuss a disagreement.
CCTV footage captured the incident, and a video circulating on social media purportedly shows ASAP Rocky brandishing and firing a gun. Despite this, the rapper’s legal team denies that he is the person depicted in the video.