A$AP Rocky Reveals Who Encouraged Him and Rihanna to Date

A$AP Rocky ’s mom knew when she saw loveeeeeee. As the rapper (born Rakim Mayers) recently revealed, it was his mom Renee Black that first planted the seed that he should date his now-partner Rihanna . “My mother used to say s--t like, ‘I know you like this girl that you with right now,’” A$AP recalled during an appearance on the Jan. 15 episode of Popcast , though he noted he wouldn’t reveal any names. “‘But I want you with Riri.’” He continued, “I used to be like, ‘Ma why you keep saying that? That girl don’t even want me like that. Like be cool, Ma. Like that’s just my friend. Chill.” But nevertheless, Renee persisted. “‘I’m telling you, she real,’” A$AP added. “And mothers know best.” Indeed, in the time their longstanding friendship took a turn for the romantic in late 2019, A$AP and Rihanna have gone on to welcome kids RZA, 3, Riot, 2, and Rocki , 3 months. For A$AP, the “Sundress” artist is still in awe of how it feels as if he and Rihanna were always meant to be. “It was just like we were on the same page,” A$AP explained. “Born the same year. My dad is from her country. My family, when I go back, I get to see both sides of my family. It’s so many similarities, it’s just funny. We laugh about it a lot.” And even before they became a couple, their friendship held something just a little extra. “She was always my boo, you know what I’m saying?” A$AP said. “Like I always f--ked with her.” But even knowing how happy they’d be as a couple, the 37-year-old wouldn’t go back and change a thing. “I’m thankful that she was put in my life at that time, because I think any time prior to that, I don’t think I was ready for something like that,” he said. “I don’t think she was either.” And Rihanna, too, thinks their relationship had an element of divine timing. After all, without the forced quarantine form the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the “We Found Love” singer has admitted she and A$AP might be in a different spot today. “COVID sped up our relationship,” she told Interview Magazine in 2024 , “which I felt like God knew we needed because we were going to start a family. And had it not been for COVID, we would’ve taken a lot more time to get comfortable with each other, to even know that we were ready.” Instead, they “didn’t even really talk about” their relationship evolving. “There was no denying it,” she explained. “It was the best thing that ever happened to us. It just happened." For more of Rihanna and A$AP’s moments that have shined bright like a diamond, read on. September 2012 In 2012, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky performed their hit "Cockiness" at the MTV Video Music Awards, and their number was so good it deserved a trophy. This wouldn't be the last time...

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