Rihanna attends court to support A$AP Rocky during his trial – as key witness gives evidence
Rihanna has attended court for the first time in support of her partner A$AP Rocky – as his former friend gave evidence about the moment the star allegedly fired a gun in his direction.
The superstar singer, who has two toddler sons with the rapper, sat next to his mother and sister, out of view of the Los Angeles criminal courtroom’s cameras on Wednesday.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is on trial accused of firing a handgun at his former friend Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli.
He has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
The couple, pictured last month, have two young sons. Pic: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Before the trial began last week, the star’s lawyers said there was a possibility Rihanna may attend at some point to show support, as the court weighed up any potential impact of her celebrity on the case.
When jurors were selected, prosecutors asked whether Rihanna’s connection, especially if she appeared in the courtroom, would affect their decisions.
Nearly half of the initial group said they had heard of A$AP Rocky before coming to court, while nearly all said they had heard of Rihanna. All said they felt it would not have an impact.
It was not clear whether the jury could see Rihanna or were aware of her presence as they watched the testimony. She entered with the help of security before reporters arrived in court, according to US media reports, and was not seen with Rocky outside.
She also left separately through a restricted exit, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The star, known for hits including Umbrella, Diamonds and Work, was in court as Ephron, the trial’s key witness, began his evidence.
Who is the key witness and what has he testified?
Terell Ephron, aka A$AP Relli, has given evidence. Pic: Frazer Harrison/Pool via AP
Ephron and Rocky were members of the A$AP crew of creators at a New York high school, the court has previously heard.
They were once close but their relationship broke down after Rocky became famous, Ephron said.
Rocky allegedly fired the gun at him on a street in Hollywood in 2021.
Giving evidence, Ephron said he had been shouting angrily at the rapper, who was walking away after an initial confrontation and a scuffle.
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Rocky then pulled a gun from his waistband and held it in the air, Ephron testified.
“He turned around and then it was like BOOM!” he told the jury. “The whole thing was like a movie, he kind of like pointed down and he shot the first shot.”
He said his hand felt “hot” and added: “I was hit. Or I was grazed. I didn’t have a hole or nothing.”
Ephron said he grabbed a mutual friend after he alleged the first shot was fired and stood behind him for protection. He said he did not see Rocky fire a second shot, and that the rapper ran away moments later.
What have Rocky’s lawyers argued?
The rapper’s lawyers say he did not carry a real gun. Pic: Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via AP
Rocky’s lawyer previously told the court the gun was not real – that the rapper fired shots from a starter pistol he carried as a prop.
Ephron knew this, he said. However, when questioned about it in court, Ephron said: “Oh it was a real gun”.
The court heard he has received death threats since the incident and that his career in music management has dwindled.
“It’s been a living hell,” Ephron said.
From court to Grammys
Rocky was raised in Harlem and had his mainstream breakthrough when his first studio album topped the Billboard 200 in 2013. The second, released in 2015, did the same.
His career was set to take off even further in 2025 – starting with his third Grammy nomination at this year’s awards ceremony, which takes place on Sunday.
The rapper is also set to headline the Rolling Loud Music Festival, will star opposite Denzel Washington in a crime drama directed by Spike Lee, and is also the co-chair of the Met Gala fashion event in May.
He faces up to 24 years in prison if convicted.
The trial continues.
Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.
As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.
Pete Townshend
“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.
“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”
If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.
But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.
Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation.
Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.
“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”
Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.
For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.
Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.
“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”
Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.
“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.
“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”
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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.
“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.
Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.
It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.
Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.
The charges relate to four women.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.
He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.
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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges
The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.
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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.
He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.
Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.
Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.
Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.
Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.
Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.
In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.
The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.
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