As the rapper’s assault trial approaches, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky appeared to be getting into the holiday spirit on a date night on Sunday. 

The 35-year-old rapper and the 35-year-old Fenty Beauty businesswoman had a romantic dinner at Santa Monica, California’s celebrity hotspot Giorgio Baldi, both dressed to the nines. 

Wearing a stylish fur head wrap, a blue satin shirt, a matching jacket, and faded denim pants, the singer of We Found Love appeared as though she had just stepped off the magazine cover.The rapper, wearing a light brown checkered shirt, jacket, and pants in unison, held her hand as they left the restaurant.

A few weeks after a court ordered A$AP to stand trial on two felony charges of assault with a semi-automatic handgun, the famous couple looked intent on each other during their trip. 

According to reports, the performer fired a gun at A$AP Relli (Terell Ephron), a friend from the past, in 2021.

Judge M.L. Villar of the Superior Court stated during the November 20 hearing that “the entirety of the video and testimony shows there is sufficient evidence for the defendant to go to trial,” according to New York magazine. 

The court date was scheduled by her for January.

Ephron described during the preliminary hearing how his friendship with A$AP soured following A$AP’s ascent to popularity. 

A$AP summoned Ephron to a meeting at a hotel in Los Angeles the night before the shooting, where they quarreled until A$AP pulled a revolver on Ephron.

A$AP held a gun to his stomach and yelled, “I’ll kill you right now,” according to Ephron, before firing several shots and fleeing the room.

A single bullet struck him in the hand, but it took until the next day for Ephron to find the strength to report the incident, and as a result, the rapper’s arrest warrant was issued.

According to court documents obtained by the BBC, Ephron was “struck by bullet projectile/fragments” in his left hand and needed medical attention.

He is requesting damages of at least $25,000. 

A$AP entered a not guilty plea. 

According to the BBC, he might spend up to nine years in prison if found guilty.

August 2022 saw the initial announcement of the charges by the Los Angeles Police Department, which included two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

This occurred four months after the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was taken into custody after seeing Rihanna in Barbados.