Tyler, The Creator Is the Kind of Friend ASAP Rocky Needs
A$AP Rocky avoided prison time after being acquitted in his gun assault case on Tuesday (Feb. 18), and one person who was definitely hoping the Harlem, N.Y. rapper would come out unscathed is Tyler, The Creator.
Tyler learned the verdict while on stage during a Los Angeles stop on his Chromakopia World Tour and relayed the message to fans in the crowd.
“I almost passed out,” Tyler told concertgoers. “They read the verdict; my brother Rocky is not in cages. That’s a testament to watch who y’all keep around you. ’Cause ni**as be jealous, bum-a*s, loser-a*s, b***h-a*s ni**as that want to tear you down. I’m so grateful for my muthaf**kin brothers. I done had the same friends for almost muthaf**kin 20 years. I love y’all ni**as so much.”
“I know I say it in 80 songs,” he added. “But when I tell ni**as don’t call me brother, don’t call me twin, don’t call me king. I’m not friends with these ni**as because they weird and they wanna see you down. So shout out to my muthaf**kin brothers that’s here. I love y’all to death. Shout out Rocky. I love you, ni**a. My ni**a free. Yessir.”
Despite not getting along at first due to static among the A$AP Mob and Odd Future crews, Tyler and Rocky have formed a lasting bond over the years that has sometimes played out on social media in hilarious videos featuring the two rappers. The two have collabed on multiple songs, including “See You Again” and “Potato Salad.” There were even talks of a joint project called WANG$AP that never materialized.
In 2019, when Rocky was arrested for battery in Sweden, Tyler also stood in solidarity with Rocky, vowing to never perform in the country again due to Rocky’s treatment.
“No more sweden for me, ever,” Tyler tweeted.
When Rocky was freed and returned to the States, his first live performance on U.S. soil was with Tyler.
While some people have questioned if Rocky and Tyler are still thick as thieves in recent years, A$AP Rocky worked with Tyler on Rocky’s upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb, his first solo LP since 2017’s Testing. The former Odd Future frontman still seems like the person Rocky can call on if he gets lost.