A$AP Rocky has effectively closed another chapter in his ongoing legal saga after his former associate, A$AP Relli, dropped a civil assault lawsuit tied to a 2021 altercation in Hollywood. The decision ends a protracted dispute that followed the rapper’s criminal acquittal earlier this year. Billboard broke the news on Tuesday.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, had faced two felony assault charges after prosecutors alleged he fired a handgun at A$AP Relli, real name Terrell Ephron, during an argument in November 2021. A Los Angeles jury acquitted him in February, finding insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
Following the criminal case, Relli filed a civil lawsuit in 2022 seeking damages for assault and emotional distress. That case was scheduled for trial in January 2025. But Relli’s attorney, Aaron Morris of Morris & Stone LLP, confirmed this week that his client will voluntarily dismiss the case, saying he “is ready to move on” and focus on “rebuilding his life.”
A$AP Relli Drops A$AP Rocky Lawsuit
Court filings to formally end the civil action are expected in the coming days. The withdrawal spares Rocky another public courtroom battle just months after his acquittal, which capped more than two years of litigation and intense media scrutiny.
Despite the dismissal, Relli continues to pursue a separate defamation lawsuit against Rocky and his attorney, Joe Tacopina. The complaint accuses the pair of making defamatory statements to the press by labeling Relli’s initial claims as “extortion” and a “get-rich-quick scheme.” That case remains pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Rocky has not publicly commented on the latest development. During his criminal trial, the Grammy-nominated rapper maintained that the gun in question was a prop loaded with blanks, not a live weapon. Prosecutors had sought a plea deal that could have carried significant prison time, but Rocky opted to take his case to trial and was fully exonerated.
The resolution of Relli’s assault suit marks a legal victory for the Harlem-born artist, who has spent much of the past year focused on music and family life with singer Rihanna. For now, the defamation case stands as the last unresolved piece of a once-sprawling dispute.
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