The rapper has been given a conditional sentence, so won’t return to jail
A$AP Rocky has been found guilty of assault after he punched and kicked a man in Sweden last month.
The rapper spent a month in Stockholm jail, finally being freed on August 2 and returning to the US. Now, judges have given Rocky a conditional sentence meaning the rapper won’t return to jail, as the court ruled the assault was not “of such a serious nature” to warrant more jail time. Two members of Rocky’s entourage, Bladimir Corniel and David Rispers, have also been found guilty of the same charge.
Prosecutors previously pushed for the 30-year-old musician – who pleaded not guilty – to serve at least six months behind bars after his attack on 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari. Rocky’s defence claimed the group had been acting in self-defence.
Footage of Rocky’s fight first emerged on TMZ and showed the rapper and his crew beating a man in the street. Later posting to his Instagram, Rocky told his side of the story, explaining that the two men had been following the group and “slapping girls butts who passed”.
The case attracted widespread interest online – with the #JusticeForRocky campaign trending on Twitter – and from other artists, including Tyler, the Creator and Nicki Minaj, as well as president Donald Trump who urged Sweden to release the rapper.
Rocky addressed the situation for the first time during his performance at California’s Real Street Festival on Sunday (August 11), telling the crowd, “I’m so happy to be here right now, y’all don’t even understand”, and describing his arrest as a “scary, humbling experience”.
Though a guilty verdict is a blow, Rocky will be able to serve his conditional sentence in the US, which will come as good news for the rapper and his crew.
Update, August 15: A$AP Rocky has posted a statement to his Instagram. It says: “I am of course disappointed by today’s verdict. I want to say thanks again to all of my fans, friends, and everyone who showed me love during this difficult time. Imma (sic) keep moving forward. Thank you to my team, my management, attorneys, label, and everyone who advocated for justice.”
