A$AP Rocky explained that the birth of his first son, RZA, 3, who he shares with Rihanna, encouraged him to embrace his “dad swag.”
A$AP Rocky is getting his “dad swag” on.
The rapper, who shares sons RZA, 3, and Riot, 21 months, with longtime partner Rihanna, gave insight into how the birth of his first son changed his life. And as A$AP simply put it, “he stepped me up.”
“I could justify doing things, like not going to the club or just leaving after five minutes, and s–t like that,” he explained of the benefits of his new title as a dad in an interview with Vogue posted April 15. “Doing old people s–t just for the sake of it.”
Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers) shared that he’s become more of a homebody since entering his fatherhood chapter, admitting, “I act tired and I don’t even be tired.”
“I’m like, ‘Oh my back hurt, let me sit down,’” he joked. “Dad swag on full. They can’t f–k with me, man.”
But the “Sundress” rapper emphasized that he’s loving his new lifestyle.
“I think becoming a father helped me just get my dad swag bag,” he shared. “I’m really on that. That’s what I do. I’m on that dad swag. I love it.”
And now he’s fully in dad mode with two little ones running around, with 36-year-old detailing the unique personalities of his two boys.
“The older one, he stays to himself—he likes his books,” he told Vogue in an interview published the same day as the video. Meanwhile, he shared that younger son Riot “likes to take stuff from his brother so his brother can chase him.”
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But as Rocky revealed, having their hands full with their sons hasn’t tempered his relationship with Rihanna, describing their romance as “internal, external, infinite, the past, and the future.”
And his grandmother, Cathy, who joined in on the interview, also shared that she gives Rihanna, 37, the stamp of approval, calling her “a down-to-earth person.”
“I’m glad that he settled down,” she said, “and I’m happy with who he settled down with.”
For more on the duo’s relationship, read on.
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September 2012
In 2012, Rihanna and A$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 the two shared the stage as they went on tour together in 2013.
ASAPROCKYUPTOWN / YouTube
September 2013
Fans had this song on replay after Rihanna and A$AP Rocky released the music video for “Fashion Killa” in 2013.
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June 2018
As the years went on, they remained friends. In 2018, they attended the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week and, of course, they totally slayed.
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December 2019
They also attended The Fashion Awards in 2019, with Rihanna dazzling in a mint Fenty dress and A$AP Rocky looking sharp in a black suit.
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September 2021
Met Gala official! Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attended the 2021 Met Gala together in style, with the “Umbrella” singer wearing a black Balenciaga gown and the “A$AP Forever” artist donning a custom ERL quilt and a tuxedo.
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February 2022
After announcing they were expecting their first baby, Rihanna recalled keeping her pregnancy a secret from her friends. “It was harder for me to keep it from my posse, because they’re around me, they know my habits,” she told E!’s Justin Sylvester. “They’re like, ‘You don’t want something to drink? You’re not smoking?’ And I’m eating all the things I’m not used to eating. They know I hate sweets and I’m all of a sudden asking for cookies and donuts. But finally, I just had to let it all out, and they were all shocked, of course, as the world was shocked as well.”
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February 2022
SOS! These photos are so sweet! As Rihanna and A$AP prepared for their bundle of joy, she continued to show her incredible pregnancy style.
ASAPROCKYUPTOWN / YouTube
May 2022
While fans wondered if A$AP Rocky had proposed to Rihanna after seeing them sport the words “Marry me?” and “I do” across their teeth in his “D.M.B.” video, sources close to the couple told TMZ in May 2022 the two aren’t engaged.
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May 2022
And baby makes three! Multiple outlets report that the couple welcomed a baby in Los Angeles.
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February 2023
She debuted her second pregnancy during the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.
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May 2023
The pair take the 2023 Met Gala together in honor of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.
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June 2023
Rihanna accompanied A$AP Rocky during his performance at a Spotify party in Cannes, France.
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August 2023
The couple welcomed their second child, son Riot. One month later, they shared their first photos as a family of four in a rare photoshoot.
Jackson Lee/GC Images
April 2024
Rihanna confirmed her romance with A$AP began at the end of 2019.
“I’ve seen him in relationships. He’s seen me in relationships,” she explained of their long history. “We knew what we’re capable of, and the trouble that we could bring to each other’s lives. We can make or break each other’s hearts. And so, we started dating with a lot of caution.”
