Defamation

A California judge suggested Monday that A$AP Relli should consider dropping his defamation lawsuit against A$AP Rocky before an upcoming ruling that could leave him on the hook for Rocky’s substantial legal fees.

“I would urge you to contact the other side and see if a deal can be made,” Los Angeles County Judge Randolph M. Hammock said at a morning hearing in downtown L.A. “Maybe in exchange for dismissing the lawsuit, they’ll drop their claim for fees. … Maybe it’s time to cut your losses.”

Hammock warned that if Rocky prevails with his pending motion to dismiss the case on free speech grounds – something he signaled was likely – Relli could be facing upwards of $50,000 in fees owed to Rocky and the rapper’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina. “I’m not talking chump change here. It would be tens of thousands, easily,” he cautioned.

Relli, born Terell Ephron, appeared by phone at the hearing, representing himself. He told the court that his team of high-powered lawyers stopped representing him after a criminal court jury found Rocky not guilty of shooting him with a semiautomatic gun during a dispute on a Los Angeles street in 2021.

“I’ve already invested over $500,000. I paid [my prior law firm] Sheppard Mullin, and they left me at the last minute. So now, I’m stuck on my own. I’m just fighting for my rights here,” Ephron told Judge Hammock.

Speaking slowly and deliberately, the judge repeatedly tried to break down the legal issues behind Rocky’s pending anti-SLAPP motion. He said the law is so “harsh” that Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, and Tacopina could still seek fees, even if Ephron dismissed his case immediately.

“Mr. Ephron, listen to me carefully, OK? This is a very, highly technical motion. It has to do with the First Amendment,” Judge Hammock said. “They have to [show] this is a matter of public interest. They probably will show that. I’m pretty sure they will. 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.” The judge said it was still possible he might rule in Ephron’s favor, but again he warned that Ephron was the underdog. He said Ephron might be throwing “good money” after “bad” if he persists.

California’s anti-SLAPP statute was designed to give defendants a way to mount early challenges to frivolous lawsuits seeking to chill their free speech. Defendants bringing the motion must first convince the court that their speech was a matter of public concern. If they can, plaintiffs must then step in and convince the court that they already have ample admissible evidence proving they were defamed, even before any discovery in the case. It’s a high bar, the judge said.

Ephron filed his defamation lawsuit against Mayers and Tacopina in 2023. He claimed the men unfairly branded him a liar and extortionist who was trying to shake down the “Sundress” rapper with the shooting claims. Mayers vehemently denied assaulting Ephron.

During Mayers’ three-week criminal trial, an eyewitness testified that Rocky only had a prop gun firing blanks the night of the confrontation. Jurors also heard a recording in which Ephron told an associate in 2022 that he was willing to “walk away” and hide from prosecutors on an island if Mayers paid him. They also heard Ephron demanded $30 million.

On Monday, Judge Hammock set an Oct. 23 hearing for the anti-SLAPP motion in the defamation case. He said Ephron had to file an opposition before then, whether he finds a new lawyer or not. Ephron also is suing Mayers for civil assault related to the 2021 confrontation. A trial in that case is set for January.

“Rocky has done nothing wrong, and we’re looking forward to a decision,” Mayers’ civil lawyer James Sargent told Rolling Stone after the Monday hearing. He declined to say whether Mayers would be willing to strike a deal with Ephron to waive his right to attorneys fees in the defamation case.

In a filing last month, Mayers’ lawyers wrote that there’s “no question that the alleged statements made by [Tacopina] were done so in a public forum about an issue of public interest.”

“Mr. Mayers is a world-renowned artist who also happens to be in a romantic relationship with one of the most famous women in the world, Rihanna. There is an incredible public interest in Mr. Mayers. This point is underscored by the fact that numerous media publications sought out comments from Mr. Mayers, through Mr. Tacopina, upon both the initiation of criminal charges against him and the subsequent civil lawsuits filed by Plaintiff Terell Ephron,” the civil defense lawyers said. “The general public was incredibly interested in the allegations against Mr. Mayers and his opinion regarding their validity, or lack thereof. The interviews and statements given by Mr. Tacopina on behalf of Mr. Mayers, and himself, absolutely fall under the protection of the anti-SLAPP statute. As such, the defamation claims should be dismissed in their entirety.”

Mayers has long maintained his innocence in the face of Ephron’s claims. He did not testify in his own defense, but two other A$AP Mob members testified that his prop gun came from the set of the “D.M.B.” music video he shot with Rihanna in July 2021. The friends said the prop gun only fired blanks.

When the jury returned its verdict, handing Mayers a resounding victory in his criminal case, the rapper and actor dove over a waist-high courtroom barrier to embrace Rihanna, who was seated in the front row. He then hugged Tacopina and addressed the jurors as they left the courtroom. “Thank you all for saving my life. Thank you. Thank you for making the right decision,” he said.