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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/25/rapper-asap-rocky-charged-with-assault-over-fight-in-sweden
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| Rapper A$AP Rocky charged with assault over fight in Sweden | Rapper A$AP Rocky charged with assault over fight in Sweden |
| (6 days later) | |
| The US rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault over a fight in Stockholm last month. | The US rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault over a fight in Stockholm last month. |
| Prosecutor Daniel Suneson said in a statement on Thursday that he filed charges against the artist and two members of the rapper’s entourage, “having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defence and provocation”. | Prosecutor Daniel Suneson said in a statement on Thursday that he filed charges against the artist and two members of the rapper’s entourage, “having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defence and provocation”. |
| Rocky, a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been in custody since 3 July as authorities investigate a fight he was allegedly involved in on 30 June before appearing at a music festival. | Rocky, a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been in custody since 3 July as authorities investigate a fight he was allegedly involved in on 30 June before appearing at a music festival. |
| The case has drawn the attention of fellow recording artists and Donald Trump. On 19 July, the president tweeted about the rapper’s situation from aboard Air Force One: “I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky.” | The case has drawn the attention of fellow recording artists and Donald Trump. On 19 July, the president tweeted about the rapper’s situation from aboard Air Force One: “I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky.” |
| Prime Minister Stefan Löfven’s office said in a statement that he would not intervene and “underlined that in Sweden everyone is equal before the law.” | Prime Minister Stefan Löfven’s office said in a statement that he would not intervene and “underlined that in Sweden everyone is equal before the law.” |
| Named after one half of the hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, Rakim Athelaston Mayers was born in New York in 1988. He adopted the name A$AP Rocky when he began his career in 2007, joining the A$AP Mob crew. | |
| Mayers had a troubled childhood. His elder brother was murdered, his dad was arrested for drug dealing, and he spent some time moving around homeless shelters with his mother and sister. His older sister died of a drug overdose in 2016. Mayers himself served two weeks in prison for drug dealing in 2004. | |
| He came to prominence with the release of the mixtape Live.Love.A$AP in 2011. Having signed to a major-label deal for a reported $3m, his 2013 debut album, Long.Live.A$AP debuted at No 1 on the US Billboard 200. Follow-up At.Long.Last.A$AP was also a No 1 album in the US, certified as a platinum seller, and featured a seemingly unlikely collaboration with Rod Stewart. | |
| His creative partner and best friend A$AP Yams (Steven Rodriguez) died in January 2015 in an accidental drug overdose. In 2016, Mayers became the first African-American to be the face of Dior Homme. | |
| In 2013, he was charged with slapping a woman at Philadelphia's Made in America festival. This was eventually settled out of court in 2015. He has been involved in other altercations, in Toronto, New Zealand, and London, the latter involving a bagel and an Uber in Brick Lane. He unexpectedly declared a love of the Piccadilly Line while delivering the Red Bull Music Academy lecture in the city, and has collaborated with British rapper Skepta on the acclaimed track Praise the Lord (Da Shine). | |
| He has caused controversy by appearing to describe the Black Lives Matter movement as a “bandwagon”, saying “I don’t wanna talk about no fucking Ferguson and shit because I don’t live over there. I live in fucking SoHo and Beverly Hills. I can’t relate.” | |
| Footage emerged of the rapper hurling a man to the ground as he and his entourage punched and kicked him. Other members of his entourage were filmed attacking another man. | Footage emerged of the rapper hurling a man to the ground as he and his entourage punched and kicked him. Other members of his entourage were filmed attacking another man. |
| Mayers posted a video on Instagram that showed him being followed by the two men who were later attacked – one appears to attack Mayers’ security guard by throwing a set of headphones at him. | Mayers posted a video on Instagram that showed him being followed by the two men who were later attacked – one appears to attack Mayers’ security guard by throwing a set of headphones at him. |
| The guard is heard telling a bystander: “He hit me with the headphones, he cut me on my head – I could really beat the shit out of him, I don’t even know him, he’s following us. Tell him to leave us alone.” | The guard is heard telling a bystander: “He hit me with the headphones, he cut me on my head – I could really beat the shit out of him, I don’t even know him, he’s following us. Tell him to leave us alone.” |
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| Mayers says: “We don’t want to fight you … We don’t want no problem with these boys – they keep following us.” | Mayers says: “We don’t want to fight you … We don’t want no problem with these boys – they keep following us.” |
| Mayers wrote in an earlier caption on Instagram: “We don’t know these guys and we didn’t want trouble, they followed us for 4 blocks.” | Mayers wrote in an earlier caption on Instagram: “We don’t know these guys and we didn’t want trouble, they followed us for 4 blocks.” |
| Prosecutor Suneson said in his statement: “It is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet,” and that “in addition to video material, the injured party’s statements have been supported by witness statements.” | Prosecutor Suneson said in his statement: “It is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet,” and that “in addition to video material, the injured party’s statements have been supported by witness statements.” |
| The three suspects will remain in custody until trial. The Stockholm District Court will set a date for the proceedings. | The three suspects will remain in custody until trial. The Stockholm District Court will set a date for the proceedings. |
| A$AP Rocky | A$AP Rocky |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Sweden | Sweden |
| news | news |
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