By all accounts, Rihanna’s been living the loved-up dream for four years now – ever since falling for her longtime friend and collaborator, A$AP Rocky, in 2021, and subsequently welcoming their two sons together: RZA, two, and Riot Rose, 18 months. But now the superstar’s happily ever has been put into serious doubt, as she watches the father of her children stand trial in an LA courtroom.
The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is in the second week of a jury trial, after pleading not guilty to two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. If he’s found guilty, he could potentially face 24 years in prison – turning his and Rihanna’s dream life into a nightmare in the process. According to insiders, the singer is desperately trying to keep a level head and focus on the hope that Rocky, 36, whom she’s previously called her “best friend”, will be acquitted and walk free. But still, there’s that underlying uncertainty that’s making the mum-of-two feel more out of control than ever.
'Never in a million years did Rihanna expect to be facing the terrifying prospect of the father of her kids locked up,' says an insider close to the 36 year old, who turned up to court to support Rocky, sitting with his mum and sister out of view of the cameras. 'From the start, they were told by the lawyers that it would never get this far, but it has, so it now feels like anything is possible. Rocky is facing 24 years in prison. That’s the worst-case scenario, but it’s hard not to be haunted by it. The fact that it’s even a possibility, no matter how slim, is terrifying. What’s more, they’re such private people, so to have their whole life being dissected now is taking a toll on them. The situation is beyond stressful.'
Rocky’s assault trial, which kicked off in LA last Friday and is expected to last three weeks, comes almost three years after the rapper was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport, with Rihanna in tow, following the couple’s vacation. He was charged at the time, and later released on bail, for allegedly firing a gun at his former friend, ASAP Relli [real name Terell Ephron] in November 2021. Rocky was later offered a plea deal, which would see him serve 180 days in jail and three years of probation – but he declined, instead maintaining his innocence and pleading not guilty. His defence have said he had in fact been holding a prop gun, and that Ephron’s accusations against him were motivated by 'jealousy, lies and greed'.
Rihanna hasn’t spoken publicly about her partner’s alleged crimes, but the stress has undoubtedly done a massive number on her. As one of the most famous names and faces in the world, she’s inevitably been dragged into the media and legal storm, and was reportedly a hot topic when it came to both sides of the trial selecting candidates for jury duty. As our source explains, the Umbrella singer is trying her best to keep things as normal as possible at home for the sake of their young family, but the stress is having a knock-on effect on every aspect of her and Rocky’s lives.
'Rocky has done his best to stay positive leading up to the trial, but now that it’s started, he’s on edge in a big way, and so is Rihanna,' says our source. 'They aren’t sleeping well at all – the tension is sky high. Rihanna is doing all she can to be supportive, but she’s also got the kids to look after, so having to take care of their needs and also try to take care of Rocky emotionally is tough. They’re both praying this will go away and he won’t do jail time, but the prospect is hanging heavily over everything. Between the worry and the lack of sleep, they’re both in terrible moods. The littlest thing can send them both over the edge right now.'
It’s a certainly a disappointing development – for Rihanna’s fans as much as the singer and Fenty founder herself – considering everyone believed she’d found her happy ending. In 2023, she paid tribute to her young brood and partner, calling motherhood “legendary” and adding, 'It’s everything. You really don’t remember life before, that’s the craziest thing ever. You literally try to remember it – and there are photos of my life before – but the feeling, the desires, the things that you enjoy, everything, you just don’t identify with it because you don’t even allow yourself mentally to get that far, because it doesn’t matter.'
Rocky, for his part, has also waxed lyrical about their happy home life, saying, 'You come home to heaven every day. I’m so thankful. God is good, man.' He’s also previously paid tribute to Rihanna – who had her fair share of terrible relationships in the past, including being physically abused by her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown – saying that 'she amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones… I think when you know, you know. She’s the one.'
So, up until recently, it really did seem like Rihanna and Rocky’s bond was unbreakable and they were both getting their happy ever after. But while the singer is, ostensibly, sticking by her partner, our source says that – whatever the outcome of the trial – their relationship is being tested like never before. Whether they can survive the fallout remains to be seen.
'Rihanna tries to be understanding,' our insider reveals. 'She knows Rocky needs help taking his mind off things, but it’s hard for her not to feel resentful. She wants his focus on her and the kids, and normally it is, but this trial has sent him into a spiral, and it’s having a knock-on effect on everything at home. No one is saying this is going to break them up, but it is testing their relationship, and Rihanna’s patience, to the limits. This isn’t what she signed up for.'