We break down how ASAP Rocky and Rihanna transitioned from working relationships to friends, to lovers.
By now, it seems that everyone in the world has heard the news that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have welcomed their first child together. For years, the two celebrities have faced dating accusations and continuously shut them down. They’ve essentially assured fans over the course of a decade that their relationship was strictly on a friendship level– despite the flirting and natural chemistry often captured by the media.
The truth finally came to light in 2021 when the two started to be seen out and about together at an increasingly frequent rate. What really finalized the rumors, however, was A$AP referring to RiRi as the love of his life.
Fast forward a year later, the two are open (insofar as paparazzi often catch them out together), but still quite private, about their relationship– and they are about to start a family. While they prepare for their future, we’re organizing their past. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to see how far the two stars have come together.
The Beginning (2012-2013)
September 2012: A$AP Rocky was featured in Rihanna’s song “Cockiness (Love It).” The song was ultimately about Rihanna being dominant in the bedroom with her partner.
September 2012: The duo performed their rhythm-thumping song at the MTV Video Music Awards. During the performance, Rocky grabbed a handful of Rihanna’s booty and planted a kiss on her cheek. This moment was so iconic in pop culture history because it is what initially sparked the idea of them being an item, and quickly went viral across the internet.
March 2013: Rihanna kicked off her Diamonds World Tour. The Barbadian superstar toured across North America and brought A$AP Rocky along. He was her opening act.
September 2013: One of A$AP’s most notable songs is “Fashion Killa.” Rihanna played his love interest in the song’s music video, perhaps inevitably, as he referenced her in the lyrics by saying, “Her attitude Rihanna, she get it from her mama.” In the past twenty-four hours, social media users have hypothesized this song foreshadowed the two’s eventual relationship.
The Off-Season (2014-2017)
October 2014: A$AP Rocky dated Victoria’s Secret Model Chanel Iman for over a year. The two ended up getting engaged in April of 2014 but later split that following fall.
May 2015: During an interview with HOT 97, A$AP Rocky denied all allegations regarding a romantic relationship with Rihanna. He stated, “It never happened. If it happened, then it would have happened. We never did that.”
May 2017: Rocky must have a thing for models. The pretty boy reportedly began dating Kendall Jenner and they went public after attending the Met Gala. However, they broke up three months later.
June 2017: Rocky wasn’t the only one playing the field. Rihanna snatched up billionaire businessman, Hassan Jameel. The two were together for two years before calling it quits in 2020.
The Reunion (2018-Now)
June 2018: A$AP and Rihanna are icons in the fashion industry. So the two appearing front row at the Louis Vuitton Runway show during Paris Fashion Week came as no surprise.
January 2020: Here come the rumors again. After Rihanna split from her billionaire boo, she began being seen with A$AP more frequently. The two were first spotted together in New York at a concert as reported in The Sun. This first date night is what sparked the latest batch of rumors concerning their fling.
August 2020: Rihanna’s Fenty line has expanded in recent years making her one of the richest superstars ever. Her advertising campaign for Fenty Skin featured the pretty boy himself, A$AP Rocky, as a model.
December 2020: As the holidays approached, the stars decided to spend time with each other. They took a cruise in Barbados and spent time with Rihanna’s family according to PopSugar. It was around this time that a source confirmed to People Magazine that their romance was official.
January 2021: Rihanna had to support her man’s endeavors, even if the relationship is low-key. In a New Year’s post, she was seen wearing shoes from Rocky’s collaboration with Amina Muaddi.
May 2021: In an interview with GQ, Rocky finally expressed his true feelings for his girlfriend. He referred to her as his “lady” and the “love” of his life, thus confirming with the world that they were indeed an item.
June 2021: Rihanna and Drake also have their fair share of love stories to tell (and of course, this pregnancy has sparked some responses to that). The two got matching camo-shark tattoos back in 2016 as a symbol of their rumored relationship at the time. Five years and a relationship with A$AP later, RiRi got her ink completely covered up– so we know it’s real.
July 2021: After being seen in the studio together, the couple was spotted once again in New York shooting a music video. People in the area snapped pictures of the two holding hands and looking as stylish as they always do. Of course, this is just one of several NYC-based dates the two were spotted on.
August 2021: Back in August, Rihanna officially became a billionaire from her numerous endeavors like Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty. It seems that, perhaps as a way to celebrate, she and her boo, Rocky, went on a shopping spree around New York City.
September 2021: The two stars arrived at the infamous Met Gala as a couple– making this their first public outing and confirming their relationship wholly for the media. They both coordinated with chic, baggy outfits, and quickly stole the show.
November 2021: A$AP Rocky performed at ComplexCon in Long Beach, California. While he was on stage rapping and engaging with the crowd, Rihanna was in the audience hyping him up and being his biggest fan.
Becoming parents
January 2022: Here we are. News broke that the couple was expecting. Rumors started to circulate that the singer might have been pregnant after she was steadily seen wearing baggy clothes in photos captured by paparazzi. While doing normal everyday things like taking a walk or being out with Rocky, she was still a focal point for the media. Of course, she never spoke about the gossip. The pregnancy announcement was revealed by a third party after a photographer named Diggzy posted Rihanna’s growing belly. Rihanna still hasn’t spoken out on it, although she did share some new promo for Fenty Beauty today, February 1.
May 2022: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child, a baby boy in Los Angeles on May 13. After months of arguably the most legendary pregnancy wardrobe of all time, the bare baby bump era is over and Riri junior has arrived. The couple has yet to publish any photos or reveal the child’s name.
June 2022: Rihanna made her first public appearance on July 2nd since giving birth to her and ASAP Rocky‘s son in May.
The “Consideration” songstress, 34, attended GoPuff Delivers Wireless 2022, a 10-day music festival in London’s Crystal Palace Park to support her beau. Rocky, 33, was the opening night headliner on Friday, July 1. Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, was a special guest performer. The Kid Laroi, Lil Uzi Vert, and Don Toliver also took the stage.
Rihanna wore a black, feathered bomber jacket from Prada to the event with black leggings, and the look was topped off with hoop earrings and a statement choker necklace. She was spotted blowing a kiss to her love from the audience as security escorted her through the crowd. After the show, they hit up Star Fade Barber’s so Rocky could get a haircut.
December 2022: Rihanna shares a video of their little one for the first time on TikTok.
@rihanna hacked
♬ original sound – Rihanna
Fans were dying to get a glimpse of RiRi and A$AP’s baby, who was born in May 2022.
In December of that year, RiRi posted a video of the little one seated in a car seat and staring out of the window beautifully cooing and yawning. RiRi gave us a close-up of his oh-so-cute little hands as he tried to grab her phone. Too cute!
At the time, the couple’s baby boy was around 7 months old.
February 2023: Rihanna debuts a baby bump during her Super Bowl LVII performance.
Oh baby! While folks were anticipating guest performers during her Super Bowl halftime performance, RiRi shocked the world with the unexpected addition of her bun in the oven.
As her performance began, we saw a close-up of RiRi’s picture-perfect face and then the camera quickly panned to her belly. While most people prefer not to speculate about women being pregnant out of respect, social media users couldn’t help but wonder. After all, RiRi has been pictured before the Super Bowl with a smaller stomach.
However, reps for the “Lift Me Up” singer confirmed what many of us thought — there will be another mini Fenty-Mayers coming. Riri and A$AP’s son — whose name is currently unknown — will be a big brother!
Are A$AP Rocky and Rihanna married?
Now that the cat is out of the bag with RiRi’s second pregnancy, social media users want more tea on the couple.
A$AP and Rihanna have yet to jump the broom — even though rumors have said the couple secretly tied the knot — but it looks like marriage is in the cards for the pair.
In her April 2022 Vogue interview, RiRi discussed her relationship with A$AP and expecting their first child together. The billionaire beauty discussed how they didn’t think they would start a family so soon.
However, RiRi shared that she wouldn’t allow traditional ideals to stop her.
“I always thought it would be marriage first, then a baby, but who the f–k says it has to be that way,” she told the publication. “I’m certainly not gonna let that get in the way of me being a mom.”
Congratulations to A$AP and RiRi on their second bundle of joy!
