A timeline of the relationship between A$AP Rocky and Rihanna.
From collaborating to welcoming a child together, here is a timeline of the evolving relationship between A$AP Rocky and Rihanna over the years.
Wondering about the romance between A$AP Rocky and Rihanna? You aren’t the only one. Fans have speculated about the two stars dating for years—ever since their chemistry practically exploded during a steamy joint performance at the 2012 VMAs.
But it wasn’t until 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, that the pair officially turned their friendship into romance. “He became my family in that time,” the Fenty Beauty mogul revealed in her April 2022 *Vogue* cover story. “It’s no joke how quickly you move past the friend zone with me. And it took me a while to get over how much I know him and how much he knows me, because we also know how much trouble we can get each other into.”
Part of their early love story involved a fateful road trip they took together that summer, driving from Los Angeles to New York. “I cooked on this tiny little grill I bought at Walmart,” the “Umbrella” singer recalled to the publication. “I still have it. It works wonders.”
“I love the simple things but also the epic adventures,” she added. “No pretentious ‘my brand, your brand’ stuff, just us living our lives. I feel like I can do anything in life when I’m with him.” Two years later, the couple welcomed their first child, a boy named RZA, born in May 2022. He didn’t remain an only child for long; in August 2023, their second son—named Riot Rose—was born, and Ri and Rocky’s bond grew even stronger as they navigated parenthood together. In May 2025, the couple revealed at the Met Gala that they were expecting their third child. Their daughter, Rocki, was born that September.
“She’s the love of my life,” the rapper said of his partner in a 2021 interview with *GQ*. “[Everything] is so much better when you’ve got the One. She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones. I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
From their early flirtatious moments to becoming parents to two sons and a daughter, take a closer look at the romance between A$AP Rocky and Rihanna below.
September 2012: Rocky and Rihanna performed at the MTV VMAs.
That performance may well have marked the moment fans began pairing the two up. Rihanna opened the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards with a performance of “Cockiness (Love It)” before the man who calls himself “pretty motherf***er” took the stage to deliver a rap verse for the remix.
However, the way he grabbed her backside, kissed her neck, and walked away led people to believe they had found love in a hopeful place.
March 2013: Rocky joined Rihanna’s Diamonds tour.
Rocky accompanied Rihanna as the opening act for the North American leg of her Diamonds World Tour in the spring of 2013.
May 2015: Rocky denies dating rumors.
In an interview with Nessa on Hot 97, Rocky discussed the various women he had been rumored to be involved with, ranging from his ex-fiancée Chanel Iman to Rita Ora. However, when it came to RiRi, he stated that their friendship was strictly platonic and that nothing romantic had ever happened between them.
“It never happened. If it had, it would have happened. We never did that,” Rocky asserted. “You never know. That’s not what I’m looking for. I value the friendships I’ve had with all these women.”
June 2018: They attend Paris Fashion Week.
From “Fashion Killa” to Paris Fashion Week, the pair knew how to make an impression while sitting front row at Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2018 menswear show.
T
September 2019: Rocky attended Rihanna’s Diamond Ball.
Every year, Rihanna hosts the Diamond Ball charity event to raise funds for her Clara Lionel Foundation, an organization that “supports and funds groundbreaking and effective education, health, and emergency response programs around the world.”
And guess who shone just as brightly as a diamond at her 2019 gala? None other than her future prince. Although Rocky walked the red carpet alone, a few months later, he was stepping out alongside his Cinderella.
December 2019: They walked the red carpet at the British Fashion Awards.
Rocky supported Rihanna at the 2019 British Fashion Awards at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where Janet Jackson (!!) presented her with the Urban Luxe award for the success of her Fenty brand in the sportswear sector. Months later, in a joint video interview for *GQ* and *Vogue*, Rocky told Rihanna that her mint-green outfit was his “favorite look” of hers, later explaining to *GQ* that he chose it because “I saw her wear it in person.” Even more romantic? She was the one who designed the Fenty tuxedo he wore to the British Fashion Awards.
January 2020: Rumors of a relationship emerge
In early 2020, the Barbadian star was spotted at a concert in New York City with Rocky, shortly after splitting from her billionaire boyfriend Hassan Jameel following a three-year relationship. The show was part of the 2020 Yams Day concert series, held to honor the late close friend and A$AP Mob founder A$AP Yams, who passed away in 2015 from an accidental drug overdose.
July 2020: Rocky starred in Rihanna’s Fenty Skin advertising campaign.
When RiRi announced her new skincare brand, Fenty Skin, ahead of its July 31 launch, she received support from a few famous faces: Rocky and Lil Nas X. Both rappers appeared in the promotional video, but she later shared a photo featuring only herself and Rocky on social media to highlight the gender-neutral nature of the products.
August 2020: RiRi and Rocky interview each other.Subsequently, the pair took part in a “Face to Face” video interview with *GQ* and *Vogue*, discussing the beauty industry, past fashion statements, and the reasons why they work so well—or sometimes don’t—together. “I think the hardest part of working with you is not goofing off and laughing the whole time,” Rocky admitted. “It’s just pure comedy. That’s the hardest part. We’re so great together; it’s just hard not to laugh. But it’s fun. The hardest part is not having *too* much fun—you end up forgetting that, at the end of the day, it’s still work.” Actually, it’s pretty great!
December 2020: They spent Christmas in Barbados.
The couple was photographed in Barbados—Rihanna’s home country and the place where Rocky’s father had emigrated from—during the Christmas season. They openly displayed their affection while on a catamaran, deepening their relationship and exploring Caribbean waters through activities like tubing and jet-skiing.
He told *GQ* that visiting the island felt like “coming home… It was amazing. I’d always imagined what my dad’s life was like before he came to America. And getting to visit those places—believe it or not—evoked a sense of nostalgia. It was both foreign and familiar.”
When Rocky’s father passed away in late 2012, RiRi had sent her “deepest condolences” via Twitter, even using the hashtag #BajanBlood.
May 2021: Rocky confirms RiRi is the “love of my life”
In his latest *GQ* cover story, the A$AP Mob member described the “You Da One” singer as “The One.” He also referred to Ri as the “love of my life” and “my lady.”
The interview noted that the rapper “beamed like a teenager” when her name was first mentioned. When asked what it felt like to be in a serious, monogamous relationship, he smiled broadly. “So much better,” he said. “So much better when you’ve got the One. She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones… I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
And seven years after the *Diamonds World Tour*, the pair embarked on a private tour of their own—a road trip across the United States. He also revealed to *GQ* that he had recorded new music for his upcoming album in a mobile studio, and that Rihanna would likely be featured on it.
“I think it’s important to have somebody that you can bounce those creative juices and ideas off of,” he said, confirming that she had “definitely” influenced the album—which he described as a “ghetto love tale.” “It’s just a different point of view.”
July 2021: Love is in the air
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were all smiles and affectionate with each other while filming a music video in the Bronx, New York City, on July 11, 2021. Check out photos of their public displays of affection.
January 2022: Baby on board!
Rihanna confirmed she is expecting her first child with A$AP Rocky. In a series of photos released by Shutterstock, the happy couple is seen strolling hand-in-hand through New York City, with the “Umbrella” singer showing off her baby bump in an unbuttoned pink winter coat.
April 2022: Rihanna opens up about A$AP and having children in *Vogue*.
Rihanna appeared on the cover of *Vogue* and discussed her relationship with A$AP, while also revealing plans regarding where they would raise their children. She noted that the pregnancy wasn’t exactly planned, though she was certainly not opposed to it. “Rocky recently asked me, ‘If you had a dream place, where would it be?'” Ri shared. “I told him back home—Barbados. I always pictured it that way. But in reality, that probably won’t happen.”
May 2022: Rihanna gives birth
According to reports from TMZ and People on May 19, Rihanna has given birth to her first child with A$AP Rocky. The couple has not yet officially confirmed the news.
September 2022: Partying in New York City
Rocky hosted an after-party following the Rolling Loud festival at the 42 d’Or nightclub in New York City on September 24, and Ri was by his side all night. The two were spotted cuddling, holding hands, and whispering into each other’s ears.
A day later, Ri confirmed that she would perform at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.
October 2022: ‘Black Panther’ Premiere
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky appeared at the premiere of Marvel Studios’ *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* in matching beige outfits, with Rihanna sporting a flowing train. The couple attended to celebrate the song “Lift Me Up,” which Rihanna recorded for the film’s soundtrack, marking her return to music after a six-year hiatus.
February 2023: A major moment… A pregnancy announcement!
Rihanna used her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show performance to announce that she was pregnant with her second child. The star wore a form-fitting top underneath an unzipped jumpsuit, revealing her baby bump.
August 2023: A family of four
Ri and A$AP welcomed their second son, later revealed to be named Riot Rose. He was born just one year and three months after his older brother, RZA.
April 2024: Rihanna reflects on the incident that caused a stir involving someone grabbing her butt.
In an interview with *Interview* magazine, Rihanna laughed as she recalled the famous butt-grabbing incident at the VMAs—the event that started it all. She told the magazine: “When he grabbed my butt that night, everyone thought I was going to… my team was worried I wanted to smash his head in.” “But I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ That’s why people were saying, ‘Oh my God. She likes him.'”
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” she added regarding their relationship. “I’ve seen him in relationships. He’s seen me in relationships. We’ve met in real life, too. We know what we’re capable of and the trouble we could bring into each other’s lives. We can make each other’s hearts happy or break them. So, we started dating with a lot of caution.”
August 2024: Rocky calls Ri his “perfect match.”
In addition to being busy with their two sons, Rocky revealed in a 2024 *Billboard* cover story interview that parenthood with Ri couldn’t be better. “It’s going great,” he told Deputy Editorial Director Damien Scott. “I don’t think there’s anyone more perfect than her, because when schedules are hectic, she’s very understanding. And when schedules are clear, that’s when we get to spend the most time together. It all comes down to understanding and compatibility.”
October 2024: Rocky speaks of the “many memories” they share.
In a *W Magazine* cover story, Rocky opened up about the “many memories” he and his partner share, starting with the moment they first met: “I got kicked out of a club… I was arguing with the bouncer, and she walked out. We locked eyes. She didn’t even know us, but she said, ‘Hey! Why aren’t you letting him in? What is wrong with you guys?! Let him in!'”
That marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship that eventually blossomed into something more, though Rocky added that he always knew they were destined to be together and become parents. “I knew it when we were young,” he told the publication. “I think we both knew. So, as we grew up, it was inevitable. We simply reconnected.”
February 2025: Standing strong together in courtThroughout Rocky’s three-week trial for a serious shooting incident—in which the rapper was accused of firing two shots at his former friend A$AP Relli in 2021 and faced up to 24 years in prison—Ri was a frequent presence in the Los Angeles courtroom to show her support. She was also the first person Rocky wanted to celebrate with when the jury returned a favorable verdict; the Harlem native immediately hopped over the railing and ran straight to embrace her the moment the not-guilty verdict was read. (Watch that moment here.)
May 2025: Rihanna reveals she is pregnant with her third child at the Met Gala.
Rihanna revealed that she is pregnant with her third child with A$AP Rocky at the 2025 Met Gala on May 5. Rocky celebrated the happy news on the red carpet, telling reporters: “It feels amazing, you know? We were tired of keeping it a secret, and it was time to show everyone what we’ve been nurturing. I’m so glad everyone is congratulating us, because we are truly happy.”
September 2025: Third baby arrives
It’s a girl! After sharing their wish for a third child—specifically a daughter—the couple saw that wish come true when the baby girl was born on September 13. They shared the happy news on September 24, revealing her name to be Rocki Irish Mayers.
“So I’m not crazy? For sure!” she wrote.
January 2026: Rocky expresses his gratitude to his mother.
On *The New York Times*’ podcast *Popcast*, Rocky recalled how his mother always wanted him to date Rihanna rather than any other girl he might have been seeing at the time.
“My mom would say things like, ‘I know you like the girl you’re with’—I won’t name names—‘but I want you to be with RiRi,’” he said. “Mom always knows best.”
