A$AP Rocky And Rihanna Consider Naming Future Child After Lawyer Following Trial Victory
Rapper A$AP Rocky and global music star Rihanna have hinted at naming their next child after their lawyer, Joe Tacopina, following Rocky’s acquittal in a high-profile felony assault case.
On Tuesday, a Los Angeles jury found Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, not guilty of two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. The verdict came after three hours of deliberation, clearing the rapper of allegations that he had fired a gun at former friend and fellow rapper A$AP Relli in 2021.
Following the verdict, Rocky’s attorney Joe Tacopina revealed that the couple expressed their gratitude in a unique way.
“Rihanna and Rocky said to me in the courtroom yesterday, they grabbed me and they said, ‘Listen, our next baby is A$AP Joe,’” Tacopina told Extra’s Billy Bush on Wednesday. “I said, ‘I’m gonna hold you to that!’”
The couple, who are already parents to two sons—two-year-old RZA and one-year-old Riot—have not confirmed whether they are expecting another child.
As the jury delivered the not-guilty verdict, Rocky reportedly ran to embrace his supporters, even stumbling in the process. “Thank y’all for saving my life,” he told the jurors before leaving the courtroom.
Tacopina also shared Rocky’s private words of appreciation, describing an emotional exchange just before the verdict was announced.
“He didn’t know if he was going to go home and see his two babies that night or start a decade-long prison sentence,” Tacopina recalled. “He looked at me, grabbed me, and said, ‘Joe, I want you to know I know how hard you fought here. I know everything you’ve done, and I just appreciate you so much. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me… and we’re in this together no matter what, and I love you.’”
The high-profile case carried serious legal risks for Rocky. Prosecutors had offered a plea deal of six months in jail and probation, which the rapper rejected on the eve of trial. Had he been convicted, he faced a possible sentence of up to 24 years in prison.
Following the courtroom victory, Rihanna took to Instagram to express her gratitude. “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by His mercy,” she wrote in a post on her Instagram Story.
While the couple has yet to confirm whether they will follow through with their promise to name a child after Tacopina, the lighthearted moment offered a rare glimpse into their appreciation for the legal defence that helped secure Rocky’s freedom.
