LOS ANGELES — Rapper A$AP Rocky was charged with two felonies Monday for pulling a gun on a former friend and firing in Hollywood last year, prosecutors said.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged the 33-year-old New York native, whose legal name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, with two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Prosecutors claim that Mayers pointed the pistol at the victim during an argument on November 6, 2021. In a follow-up confrontation, Mayers pulled the gun once more and fired two shots in the direction the man who suffered a slight injury. The victim’s name was not released.
Mayers did not plead guilty to any of the charges. His arraignment is set for Wednesday. A request for comment was sent to representatives but it wasn’t immediately answered.
“Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood,” said District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
According to police, Mayers was followed by two men who fled from the spot where he shot the gun. Mayers was initially arrested in connection with the shooting at Los Angeles International Airport, April 20th.
A member of the Harlem hip hop collective A$AP Mob, A$AP Rocky first made his mark in music with the single “Peso” in 2011. His 2013 debut album, “Long. Live. A$AP,” went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as did its 2015 follow-up, “At. Long. Last. A$AP.” He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.
Rihanna and Helge are in a relationship. They had their son in May.
Mayers’ last album was released four years ago. He is now as well-known for setting fashion trends as his music.
Following a brawl on the streets of Sweden, he spent nearly a whole month detained. He was found guilty of assault and given a “conditional sentence” that meant no additional time in jail.
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