A$AP Rocky's accuser, former friend and the key witness at his trial testified Tuesday that their relationship had been fraying for years, but he was 鈥渇urious鈥 and flabbergasted when Rocky pulled a gun on him on the streets of Hollywood.
鈥淚 told him to use it. Because mentally I couldn鈥檛 believe it," said the man who goes by A$AP Relli, with his old friend staring at him intently from the defense table. 鈥淚 physically could not believe there was a gun in my face. That was the breaking point for me.鈥
The court day ended with a cliffhanger, just as Relli was about to describe the moment when Rocky allegedly fired at him.
Rocky, the hip-hop star, fashion mogul and longtime and partner of Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of for allegedly firing at Relli.
鈥淗e鈥檚 famous,鈥 Relli told the jury Tuesday. 鈥淚鈥檓 nobody.鈥
Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, described how he and Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, were part of the same collective of creators and aspiring entrepreneurs at a New York high school who called themselves A$AP 鈥 which stands for Always Strive and Prosper, but can mean many things.
They remained close for years, as Rocky鈥檚 star rose, and Relli got into music management.
Relli said he and Rocky were like brothers, and saw each other every day, 鈥渦p until he got famous." Then, he said, he didn't have time for his friend.
鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 always been like that. It鈥檚 really hard having a relationship with Rocky, he lies a lot,鈥 Relli testified. 鈥淚 called him Mr. Six Month Man. I would see him every six months."
But Relli said the last thing he wanted to do was to fight someone as prominent as Rocky, because his career 鈥渨ould be over. Literally over. You don鈥檛 have a career.鈥
His testimony was quiet and reluctant at first.
鈥淚 got anxiety,鈥 he said at one point.
But he grew louder and took on a more forceful tone as he described the run-up to the confrontation.
He said he overheard Rocky slam him with a series of slurs and swear words while he rode in an SUV with a mutual friend the day before. It was over speaker phone, which Rocky didn't seem to know.
He read texts from Rocky sent on the day of the incident, Nov. 6, 2021.
鈥淲here you at?, Let鈥檚 get to it," one read.
鈥淚 had kind of an idea that he wanted to fight or something, just argue or something," Relli said.
The two decided on a meetup and Relli said he thought they would argue but reconcile. He said Rocky seemed to have other ideas. They met along with two of their A$AP crew members next to a parking garage across from the W Hotel.
He said Rocky was shouting obscenities at him from afar before they even reached each other, and immediately grabbed him violently, as one of their friends started to intervene.
When Rocky stepped back, he pulled the semiautomatic handgun out of his waistband and pointed it closely at Relli's head and stomach, Relli testified.
When he saw the pistol, he said he asked Rocky, "What are you doing with a gun?鈥
Relli returns to the stand Wednesday, when he'll be expected to describe the moment the alleged shots were fired. He'll then face what's likely to be a fierce cross-examination from Rocky's attorneys.
Prosecutors say Rocky fired two shots at Relli, who said previously that bullets grazed his knuckles.
The defense argues Relli was the aggressor, and Rocky fired a starter pistol to break up a fight between him and another member of their crew. They said Rocky carried the pistol, which only shoots blanks, for security.
Before was brought in, the defense revealed that they do not have the pistol.
鈥淒oes the prop gun exist?鈥 Judge Matthew Arnold asked.
鈥淭he prop gun did exist,鈥 Rocky's lawyer Joe Tacopina said. 鈥淚t does not now. We don鈥檛 have it.鈥
The defense said in its opening statement that Relli was acting so fearlessly because he knew Rocky carried phony guns.
Relli testified that he had never heard of such a thing, and he didn't know Rocky to carry guns of any kind.
鈥淗e's got a lot of security,鈥 he said.
Rocky's lawyers said Relli, who has also filed a civil lawsuit, is driven by 鈥 " and fabricated large parts of the story to get money.
Earlier Tuesday, the defense cross-examined a police officer who responded to reports of a shooting about the absence of evidence at the scene.
鈥淭here was no sign of a shooting?" Tacopina asked.
鈥淣o,鈥 said Sgt. Thomas Zizzo.
鈥淣o blood?鈥
鈥淣辞.鈥
鈥淣o bullet holes?鈥
鈥淣辞.鈥
No shell casings?
鈥淣辞.鈥
鈥淣o physical evidence that a shooting happened at all?鈥
鈥淣辞.鈥
Two days after the shooting, Relli himself brought two shell casings to police that he said he had found at the scene after seven police officers searched the scene and found nothing.
Zizzo is the son of Erika Jayne, former star of 鈥淭he Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
, Rocky's longtime partner and the mother of their two toddler sons, was not in court. Rocky's lawyers said an appearance is unlikely but possible.
