In a revealing interview for the cover story of W magazine, A$AP Rocky opened up about his relationship with Rihanna, highlighting the depth of their connection and sharing a memorable early encounter that solidified his feelings for her.
The Harlem-born rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, recounted a pivotal moment from his past that laid the foundation for their romance. “There’s a lot of history between us,” Rocky, 36, remarked. “I was kicked out of this nightclub. They weren’t giving me no access to it. This was when I was just starting out, so nobody knew me. I was with Matthew Williams and Virgil [Abloh], and I was getting into it with the bouncers when she came out. We just locked eyes. She didn’t even know us, but she was like, ‘Yo! Why y’all not letting him in? What’s wrong with you?! Let that man in!'”
Reflecting on the qualities that make Rihanna, 36, the ideal partner and mother, Rocky shared a deep sense of intuition. “I knew from when we were younger. We both did, I think. So it was only right when we got older. We just kind of reconnected.”
The duo’s friendship dates back to 2012, when Rocky opened for Rihanna during her Diamonds World Tour. However, their romantic relationship didn’t blossom until 2019, following Rihanna’s split from billionaire Hassan Jameel. The couple welcomed their first son, RZA, in 2022, and their second son, Riot, in 2023, with Rihanna announcing her pregnancy during the Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year.
Rocky, who graces the cover of W magazine in a shoot captured by Rihanna herself, reminisced about their love story unfolding at the Mercer Hotel in New York City, the backdrop for the cover shoot. “Virgil Abloh shot the music video for ‘Fashion Killa’ in 2012, and that was the same couch where Rihanna and I sat in the first scene,” he said. “That was the same room.”
In the video for “Fashion Killa,” the couple is seen shopping and cuddling. Almost a decade before they officially got together, Rocky even referenced Rihanna in the song with the lyrics, “Her attitude Rihanna, she get it from her mama.”
Looking ahead, Rocky shared insights about his upcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb, set to release this fall. While he won’t dedicate an entire track to fatherhood, he will touch on the topic within the broader context of his life. “I don’t have a song purely dedicated to fatherhood. I do have songs where I’m talking about my life, and fatherhood is one of the things that I bring up, though — adapting to changes and having a work-family balance.”
Despite delays in the album’s release due to sample clearances and leaks, Rocky assures fans that the new work will showcase his artistic evolution. “If you take indie, mix it with classical, mix it with vintage Memphis meets Dipset meets Wu-Tang, that’s where I grab a lot of inspiration from,” he explained.
As for Rihanna, her plans for new music remain shrouded in mystery. At a recent Fenty Puma event, she confirmed that her upcoming tracks are “so good” and hinted that the couple is collaborating on music. “Me and Rocky are really trying to figure out who is going to use what,” she said, suggesting that fans may have more to look forward to from the couple in the near future.
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