The pop icon, who shares two young sons with Rocky, sat alongside his mother and sister, staying out of sight from the cameras in the Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is facing charges for allegedly shooting at Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli. He has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Before the trial kicked off last week, Rocky's legal team hinted that Rihanna might show up to lend her support, considering how her fame could influence the case.
During jury selection, prosecutors inquired if Rihanna's presence would sway their decisions. Almost half of the jurors had heard of A$AP Rocky, while nearly all were familiar with Rihanna, but they all agreed it wouldn’t affect their judgment.
It’s unclear if the jury noticed Rihanna or knew she was there while listening to the testimony. She arrived with security before the media got there and was not seen with Rocky afterward.
She also exited through a restricted area, as reported by the Associated Press. The singer, famous for tracks like Umbrella, Diamonds, and Work, was present as Ephron, the main witness, began his testimony.
Who's the main witness and what did he say?
Ephron and Rocky were part of the A$AP crew back in high school in New York, as the court has already mentioned.
They used to be tight, but things fell apart when Rocky hit it big, according to Ephron.
In 2021, Rocky supposedly shot at him on a Hollywood street.
While testifying, Ephron explained that he was yelling at the rapper, who was trying to walk away after a fight.
Ephron claimed Rocky pulled a gun from his waistband and held it up.
"He turned around and then it was like BOOM!" he recounted to the jury. "It felt like something out of a movie; he pointed down and fired the first shot."
He described feeling a "hot" sensation in his hand and added, "I was hit. Or grazed. There wasn’t a hole or anything."
Ephron mentioned that after he thought the first shot was fired, he grabbed a friend for safety. He didn’t see Rocky shoot again, and the rapper took off shortly after.
What’s Rocky’s legal team saying?
Rocky’s lawyer argued in court that the gun wasn’t real, claiming it was a starter pistol used as a prop.
Ephron was aware of this, but when asked in court, he insisted, "Oh, it was a real gun."
The court also heard that he’s received death threats since the incident and that his music management career has suffered.
"It's been a living hell," Ephron stated.
From court to Grammys
Rocky grew up in Harlem and hit the big time when his debut album climbed to the top of the Billboard 200 in 2013. His follow-up, released in 2015, also snagged that top spot.
Things were looking even brighter for him in 2025, especially with his third Grammy nomination coming up at this Sunday’s awards show.
On top of that, the rapper is set to headline the Rolling Loud Music Festival, act alongside Denzel Washington in a Spike Lee-directed crime drama, and co-chair the Met Gala fashion event in May.
However, he’s facing a potential 24-year prison sentence if found guilty.
The trial is still ongoing.