In the past, Rihanna showed interest in motherhood and said she wouldn't mind doing it alone. When she finally became pregnant with A$AP Rocky's baby, he was embroiled in a police matter when she gave birth.
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were longtime friends before they started dating. They initially sparked dating rumors after the pop singer broke up with her billionaire boyfriend, Hassan Jameel, in January 2020.
Rihanna and Jameel had seen each other for three years before their relationship ended. The Sun was the first to report the songstress and rapper's alleged relationship, but a different source claimed Rihanna was still single.
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna pose for a picture while celebrating Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skinat Goya Studios on February 11, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Then in May 2021, Rocky was interviewed by GQ magazine, where he admitted he was dating Rihanna. The musician allegedly started "beaming like a teenager" whose crush had accepted their prom invite when he spoke about his girlfriend.
A$AP Rocky seen on December 5, 2021, in New York City. | Source: Robert Kamau/GC Images/Getty Images
The interviewer swore he could hear angels singing when Rocky started talking about Rihanna, whom he described as "My lady" and "The love of my life." He even revealed the relationship was great because he had found "the one."
During Christmas in 2020, the fashion and beauty entrepreneur was photographed with Rocky in Barbados. The country happens to be where Rihanna was born and from where Rocky's father emigrated to get to the US.
The visit left the rapper with a sense of belonging and nostalgia when he got to see the places his father probably went to. When asked if he was ready to be a father, Rocky said if it was fate, then he was game.
He jokingly shared how he thought he was already a father to those close to him. Taking the matter seriously, he explained that he thought he'd make a remarkable, incredible, and amazing father with a "fly child."
RIHANNA ANNOUNCES PREGNANCY AFTER HIDING IT FROM HER FRIENDS
In February 2022, Rihanna spoke to E! News about trying to keep her first pregnancy with Rocky a secret. The Fenty Beauty and Skin brands founder confessed that it had been "hard" to keep her growing belly bump.
The star also shared how much harder it was for her to hide the news from her friends because they were around her and knew her habits. It was strange for the singer's friends when she didn't want alcoholic drinks or smokes.
Rihanna also made it evident because she changed her diet and started eating things she hadn't before. An example of this was how her friends knew she hated sweet things, but suddenly she asked for donuts and cookies.
The songstress finally had to confess, and her friends were shocked; in fact, the whole world was shocked. The star also shared how she felt when the news was first confirmed to her, stating:
"When I first found out, it's not real, you know? I was like, 'This is not for real, right?'"
Rihanna didn't want to get too excited because it was too soon, and she wanted to make sure the pregnancy would stick. However, she was happy when she got far along enough to be able to celebrate with other people.
On February 3, 2022, the pop star showed off her growing baby bump in an Instagram photo thread. She revealed that was how she and her "gang" were pitching up for Black History Month.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky seen filming a music video in the Bronx on July 10, 2021, in New York City. | Source: Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images
The news of the couple's pregnancy was confirmed in January 2022, with a source close to Rocky and Rihanna saying the pop singer "couldn't be happier." The insider shared that having a baby had been something Rihanna focused on.
Being with the rapper opened her up further to the idea, and now she's excited to become a mother. The source claimed Rihanna loved the changes happening to her body and had always celebrated other pregnant women in her Fenty runway shows.
Rihanna and ASAP Rocky at the Off-White Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on February 28, 2022, in Paris, France. | Source: Pierre Suu/Getty Images
In April 2022, ET revealed how the couple had a baby shower to celebrate the pregnancy. The rave-themed event saw Rocky and the "Diamonds" singer flying out friends and family from Barbados to the US.
The joint celebration was an intimate and private Hollywood affair. Guests weren't allowed to take photos or record videos, and when they arrived, they were told to keep any pictures in secure pouches.
A$AP ROCKY'S ARREST
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna at the Costume Institute Benefit - In America: A Lexicon of Fashion on September 13, 2021, in New York City. | Source: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
In April 2022, TMZ reported that Rocky was arrested at Los Angeles' LAX after flying from Barbados on a private jet. Police met him at the terminal to take him in for an assault with a deadly weapon charge.
The arrest concerned a November 6, 2021, incident, where Rocky reportedly grazed an alleged victim's hand when he fired at them. Later in the afternoon, the musician was released from Los Angeles Police Department.
Asap Rocky and Rihanna at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022/23 on February 25, 2022, in Milan, Italy. | Source: Victor Boyko/Getty Images
Rihanna stood by her boyfriend, and when he performed in late April 2022 at the Smokers Club Festival, she was backstage. She showed how important it was for her to support Rocky by being in attendance.
Reports revealed that she was weeks away from giving birth when the songstress attended the event. The businesswoman gave birth not long after her boyfriend headlined the event.
RIHANNA WELCOMES A BABY BOY
According to TMZ's sources, on May 13, 2022, Rihanna and Rocky became first-time parents when their son was born in Los Angeles. A few days later, a People source close to the couple claimed they were home with the baby in Los Angeles, adding:
"Rihanna is doing well. They are very excited to be parents. Rihanna is already a wonderful mom."
According to Daily Mail, the unnamed child was already super-rich! The publication reported that Rihanna and Rocky's baby boy had a net worth of over $1.5 billion from his parents' combined wealth.
The rapper had over $9 million, while his girlfriend held the rest of the wealth. Having a child was a blessing for Rihanna, but it's always something she's shown an interest in during past interviews.
A WELL-DESIRED MOTHERHOOD
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna at The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion on September 13, 2021, in New York City. | Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images/Getty Images
The little boy might not have been planned, but his mother definitely wanted him. In a March 2020 Vogue interview before Rihanna became pregnant, she confessed that she was working hard now to live differently in the future.
The musician [Rihanna] said it was the only healthy relationship that a parent and child could have and the only way to raise one was through love.
She shared that one of the main differences would be her having children. When asked what she saw for her future ten years later, the singer revealed that she saw herself having children, "three or four of 'em."
The publication also asked the artist what she would do if she hadn't met the right person to have children with. Vogue wanted to know if she would go down that road alone, and Rihanna responded affirmatively.
The artist said she felt society made her feel like she would be wrong for taking that route. The negative response would be society trying to diminish mothers if they don't have fathers in their children's lives.
However, Rihanna felt the only thing that truly mattered was happiness. The musician said it was the only healthy relationship that a parent and child could have, and the only way to raise one was through love.
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