A$AP Rocky could consider the possibility of testifying in his felony assault case.

LOS ANGELES — A$AP Rocky and his legal team have announced that the hip-hop artist might take the stand on Tuesday to defend himself against two felony assault charges involving a semiautomatic firearm.

During a court session on Monday, Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, indicated that the hip-hop star may provide testimony early Tuesday unless the defense decides to rest its case beforehand. Meanwhile, prosecutors are preparing for the possibility of Rocky’s testimony overnight. Although defendants are not obligated to testify, doing so can carry significant risks, particularly during cross-examinations in criminal trials.

Prior to the start of the trial, Tacopina expressed that Rocky was keen to share his side of the story, emphasizing that he would welcome the chance. However, the attorneys have been restricted from making any comments to the media due to a judge’s directive. If convicted, the Grammy-nominated musician, who is also a fashion icon and actor, faces up to 24 years in prison.

Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, shares a long-term relationship with pop sensation Rihanna, and they have two young sons together. Although she was absent from Monday’s proceedings, Rihanna has made sporadic appearances in court, including a recent visit on Friday, during which they left together, holding hands. There is a possibility that she will attend Tuesday’s session to support him as he takes the stand.

Rocky is expected to assert that the gun he fired twice during a confrontation with a former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021 was a starter pistol that only discharged blanks; he carried it primarily for his protection. On Monday, his tour manager became the second person from Rocky’s close circle to testify that the rapper had possession of the non-lethal weapon.

Lou Levin shared that he had advised Rocky to carry the starter pistol following an incident where the rapper’s residence was invaded by a stalker. “Given the previous instances of violence, we thought it was wise to have a nonlethal form of self-defense,” Levin remarked. He noted that he had obtained the pistol from a music video shoot just three months prior to the events that led to the current charges.

Levin explained that after the incident, he returned the prop gun to the director of the video, who was unable to account for it afterward, stating that the defense currently does not possess the starter pistol. Law enforcement also failed to recover the alleged weapon associated with the incident.

During his testimony, Levin clarified that an ammunition magazine discovered in Rocky’s residence actually belonged to him. Prosecutors contend that the magazine could be compatible with rounds found by A$AP Relli, the individual Rocky is accused of shooting. Levin argued that he mistakenly purchased the wrong type of magazine and left it at Rocky’s place.

Deputy District Attorney John Lewin challenged Levin, suggesting that he constructed an explanation for leaving the magazine at Rocky’s residence, which he deemed entirely false. Levin adamantly refuted this, asserting, “I didn’t have to come up with a story — it’s the truth.”

Levin, known in the industry as A$AP Lou, testified that he had seen the prop gun in Rocky’s possession earlier that same day, although he was not present during the altercation. He disclosed that he has been associated with Rocky since 2010, initially as a personal assistant and then as a tour manager from 2017 onwards.

When questioned about his interest in the outcome of Rocky’s trial, Levin expressed concern about the rapper potentially facing a harsh sentence, stating, “I read he was facing 24 years; I don’t want to see him go to jail for that long.” However, this statement was subsequently removed from the court record as jurors were not supposed to be privy to the possible sentence length.

Rocky is accused of firing two rounds at A$AP Relli, a fellow member of their hip-hop collective, A$AP Mob, which they established during high school in New York. Relli, whose legal name is Terell Ephron, claimed to have sustained minor grazes to his knuckles from the shooting but indicated he did not suffer any serious injuries. When police responded to the scene of the reported shooting, they found no physical evidence but Relli later returned to report two 9mm shell casings, which he had retrieved from the location two days after the incident.