Who is Renee Black? ASAP Rocky’s mother and sister sit with Rihanna to support the rapper at his criminal trial

Rapper ASAP Rocky, aka Rakim Mayers, appeared for his gun assault trial on January 29, 2025, at LA’s Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. His partner, Rihanna, was also present during the trial. As per reports, she sat between the rapper’s mother, Renee Black, and sister, Erika B. Mayers, in the court.

Born in 1966, Renee Black's parents were originally from South Africa. Due to her financial struggles, she worked as a nurse to raise her kids. During the court session, Judge Mark Arnold joked that it was hard to tell who the mother was, as he commented that she must have had him at a very young age.

When Black clarified she was 26 when ASAP Rocky was born, the judge complimented her appearance, stating it for the record. The jury for the trial comprises seven women and five men, selected from over a hundred candidates. It took two and a half days to finalize the jury.

The selected jurors include a podcast editor and actor, a longtime Trader Joe’s employee, and a retired judge as the final alternate.

ASAP Rocky faces two felony assault charges involving a semiautomatic firearm in connection to a 2021 incident in Hollywood. He is accused of firing at Terell Ephron, who claims the shots grazed his knuckles. Rocky denies the allegations, stating he used a prop gun with blanks.

During the second day of the trial, Ephron testified that ASAP Rocky threatened him before arriving at his hotel with two others and firing a shot that grazed his knuckles. He stated he was willing to risk his life to defend his dignity when Rocky allegedly pulled out a gun.

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ASAP Rocky has pleaded not guilty to the charges

Rocky, who shares two sons with Rihanna, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer insists he committed no crime. However, chances are that he could face a 24-year prison sentence if convicted.

ASAP Rocky was taken into custody in April 2022 after returning to Los Angeles from Barbados with Rihanna. In November 2023, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial. The trial was initially set for October but later postponed to January.

During the jury selection on January 23, 2025, a prosecutor asked a potential juror if she could deliver a guilty verdict even if Rihanna was in the courtroom. After a long pause, she admitted it would be difficult.

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In other news, prosecutors had offered Rocky a plea deal with 180 days in jail and three years of probation, but he declined. ASAP Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, mentioned that the rapper is eager to share his side of the story. However, no final decision has been made on whether he will testify, as it depends on how the trial progresses.

Tacopina argued that LAPD officers found no proof of a shooting when they arrived at the scene. He also questioned how Ephron, rather than the police, was able to recover two shell casings when he returned an hour later.