ASAP Relli has been cautioned against moving forward with a defamation case against his former friend, ASAP Rocky.
Back in February, Rocky—real name Rakim Mayers—was acquitted of felony assault charges stemming from a 2021 altercation with Relli, born Terell Ephron. While Relli is still pursuing a civil assault and battery lawsuit, he also accused Rocky and his lawyer, Joe Tacopina, of labeling him a con artist and extortionist, prompting his push for a defamation suit.
But during a recent telephone hearing, Los Angeles Judge Randolph M. Hammock advised Relli to reconsider. Rocky’s team has filed a motion to dismiss the case on free speech grounds, which, if successful, could leave Relli responsible for covering Rocky’s hefty legal fees.
“I would urge you to contact the other side and see if a deal can be made,” Judge Hammock said, per Rolling Stone. “Maybe in exchange for dismissing the lawsuit, they’ll drop their claim for fees. … Maybe it’s time to cut your losses. I’m not talking chump change here. It would be tens of thousands, easily.”
Relli responded that he has already spent over $500,000 after being “abandoned” by his previous law firm. “So now, I’m stuck on my own. I’m just fighting for my rights here,” he said.
Judge Hammock explained the motion was “highly technical” and rooted in First Amendment protections. “They have to [show] this is a matter of public interest. They probably will show that. I’m pretty sure they will,” he noted. “I think your case has gotten some press, okay? And I know that Mr. Mayers was recently acquitted. … Maybe you can reflect upon this case and what you want to do.”
Relli had alleged that during their 2021 Hollywood confrontation, Rocky fired a gun at him. The rapper maintained his innocence, facing up to 20 years before being cleared in a three-week trial where the jury accepted his defense that it was a prop gun.
