In 2021, A$AP Rocky confirmed ongoing rumors when he announced his relationship with former ESSENCE cover star Rihanna.
“The love of my life,” he called her during an interview with GQ. “My lady.”
They were first believed to be an item way back in 2012, when the rapper joined the pop star onstage for a remix of “Cockiness (I Love It),” and ended the performance with an affectionate squeeze. He denied the rumors in 2013 though (“We’re just cool,” he told MTV. “I’m just cool with her.”) and both had a few love interests since their first public link up.
You can’t stop true love though.
In late 2020, the two were spotted in Barbados together during the holiday season. Rihanna grew up in Barbados, while Rocky’s father emigrated from there. Upon the death of the rap star’s father in 2012, Rih sent out heartfelt condolences via Twitter.
My most sincere condolences bro #BajanBlood “@asvpxrocky: R.I.P DAD , UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN . "SEE MY DADDY IN HEAVEN , HE BE DA REALIST G"
A$AP Rocky shot to fame in 2011 upon the release of his debut mixtape, ‘Live. Love. A$AP.’ He was then signed for a 2-year deal with RCA Records and landed his first major single, “F—–‘ Problems” alongside Drake, Kendrick Lamar and 2 Chainz. Outside of music, he has a presence in mainstream fashion and worked on a 2017 collaboration with GUESS called GUE$$. He is currently the guest artistic director of PacSun.
Of course, Rihanna is a 9-time Grammy-winner with a slew of fashion/beauty-related brands under her umbrella. In 2014, she was named the multi-year creative director Puma and launched her own fashion line, Fenty, in 2019. She is also the mastermind behind Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty and creates style trends with her casual and red carpet choices. This year, she was declared a billionaire by Forbes.
Keep scrolling to see how the famous lovebirds came to be a romantic duo.
01
September 2012
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky hit the stage for a steamy performance of “Cockiness (Love It).”
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
02
March 2013
A$AP Rocky was added as an opener to the North American leg of Rihanna’s Diamonds Tour.
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
03
September 2013
Rihanna and Rocky played lovers bound by their passion for fashion in the rapper’s video for “Fashion Killa.” It’s been viewed over 74 million times on YouTube.
RCA Records
04
June 2018
The celeb duo sat together at the Louis Vuitton Menswear SS 2019 show during the summer of 2018.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
05
December 2019
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna arrived together in style at the Fashion Awards.
Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images
06
January 2020
Rihanna popped out for the annual Yams Day, an event held in honor of A$AP Yams. Yams was a founding member of the A$AP collective who passed away in January 2015.
07
July 2020
A$AP Rocky was one of the celebrities to appear in advertisements for Rih’s then-upcoming Fenty Skin launch.
Fenty Skin
08
August 2020
Rih put Rocky in the hot seat for a round of 18 questions during a production put on by GQ and Vogue.
GQ/Vogue
09
May 2021
A$AP Rocky proudly professed his love for the singer during a cover story interview. “So much better when you got the One,” he said to GQ of being in a relationship. “I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
Raymond Hall/GC Images
10
June 2021
After confirming their relationship to GQ, A$AP Rocky began to be spotted all over with his lady on a series of date nights. We can’t get over their style!
11
July 2021
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were seen in the Bronx working on a new music video.
James Devaney/GC Images
12
September 2021
We watched the 2021 Met Gala with one question in mind — “Where’s Rih?!” At the very end of the night, the couple appeared in Balenciaga.
